The Conception of World-Systems Analysis in the Context of Post-Non-Classical Science

The article deals with the problem of the impact of the principles of post-non-classical science on the sphere of social cognition by studying the methodological aspects of Immanuel Wallerstein's conception of world-systems analysis. Its experience shows that the principles of post-non-classical science contribute to the discovery of new objects of social cognition, the development of appropriate methodology, translation of modern general scientific approaches from the meta-theoretical level to social cognition. Firstly, the conception of world-systems analysis refers to the study of complex, large-scale self-developing historical systems: world-empires, world-economies, and the modern world-system. It is noted that the justification of new units of the historical process brings the conception of world-systems analysis beyond the limits of the formational and civilizational approach. Secondly, the awareness of the importance of time and development is expressed in the analysis of the chronostructure of the historical process formed by long-term cyclic rhythms. Wallerstein substantiates the idea of three continuums of existence of the modern world system, namely, past-present, statics-dynamics, and time-space. The emphasis is on the transformational time-space, which characterizes the process of transition to a new historical system. Thirdly, the conception of world-systems analysis goes far beyond the principles of classical science in their application to social cognition. This is expressed in the rejection of the linear form of social time and mechanistic determinism, the recognition of non-causal forms of determination. In the interpretation of development, the principles of synergetics play a decisive role in the conception of world-systems analysis. Based on them, there is a denial of the dilemma of the natural science and the humanitarian pictures of the world and the justification of the role of probability and chance in the development of historical systems, not the predetermination of the future. Fourthly, the study of the modern world-system is based on the principle of a holistic, comprehensive consideration of the object from the point of view of the unity of nomothetic and idiographic methods, the synthesis of social sciences in the framework of a unidisciplinary model, the unity of empirical and theoretical levels of social cognition (emphasizes the theoretical load of facts, the presence of initial theoretical attitudes that determine the direction of empirical research). Fifthly, the problem of correlation between the subject and the object of social cognition, its objectivity are considered, since there is no researcher independent of society as an ideal observer. In conclusion, it is noted that the principles of modern scientific rationality, integrated into the conception of world-systems analysis, contribute to the expansion of the vision of social reality, to the enrichment and development of the theoretical and methodological apparatus of social cognition.

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