Society in philosophy - what is it?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

The view of philosophy on society cannot be separated from the philosophy of man, although it is not reduced directly to this topic. At any stage of its development, society is a complex, multifaceted entity that has diverse intertwined connections, which include human relations. The life of a society is not limited to the life of the people who make up it. Society is creative and forms various spiritual, material values that are not created by individuals. For example, technology, art, various institutions, science and languages, law, morality and politics, philosophy, finally … It is this complex and contradictory interweaving of human actions, results and relationships that is an integral part of society as an integral organism.

Philosophical definition

It is interesting that society in philosophy is an abstract concept. It is purely theoretical. In reality, there are quitespecific types of society with different historical roots and forms: ancient tribes, feudal lords, Asian monarchies, etc. If we are talking about a specific organization of people, then there must be an indication of the formal features of this group. Everyone knows such a concept as “family is the elementary cell of society”. There are also various social, age, ethnic associations of people. In addition, the concept of "society" in philosophy is an identification with the state. It is also compared with the global concept of "world community".

Philosophy and everyday consciousness

As long as a person does not think about what society is, it seems to him that this concept is well known to him. In the ordinary consciousness of people, society is all the people around us with whom we communicate and those who are far from us, but are also members of a single society. The quality of our life depends on the society we live in. Modern society in philosophy is a concept that was formed approximately in the 17th-18th centuries due to the development of European culture. And the etymological meaning of society in most languages is a word that characterizes not an isolated person, but a certain united set of individuals.

Types of society

Modern society has gone through two stages of formation: industrial and post-industrial. Already at the end of the 18th century, the concept of civil society appeared, which included the customs and customs of the whole people. It was believed that such a society was not directed by the state, butdistinguished by self-activity, self-government of the population, participation in the political life of ordinary people.

Interestingly, at that time, commoners were not considered members of society. Therefore, according to the definition of that time, society in philosophy is an aristocracy, in whose hands power and we alth were concentrated. Today, this smaller part of society is called the high society, the elite.

Traditions

Even Plato and Aristotle singled out society as part of the state, which includes only free citizens. Slaves could not be considered its members. But even then, in antiquity, society was in the minority. After the French Revolution, the political face of Europe changed, and the concept of "society" is used in a broad sense. Now it began to reflect the general self-consciousness of people, their craving for participation in politics and the life of ordinary people, the majority of the population.

What is the role of philosophy in society and knowledge system

As a science, philosophy is always aimed at scientific knowledge of the world, but at the same time it maximally expresses the interests of certain classes and subjects of society. This science, as an integral system of ideas about the world, includes the ideology and politics of class societies. As a result, the confrontation between the individual areas of philosophy intensified. Since the role of philosophy in society affects its ideology, it is an important part of the study in the knowledge system of political science.

A significant part of philosophical knowledge isaesthetics. Creating a philosophical picture of the world, its creators must be endowed with a sense of beauty and harmony. Philosophical science is akin to art, as evidenced by the works of Camus, Roerich, Churlionis, Tagore, Goethe and other authors.

The process of spreading the concept of "society"

Mankind has passed a rather long and contradictory way of formation before taking shape in modern society. Philosophy has always been aimed at studying the laws of being and identifying mechanisms for regulating relations in society. The process of forming the concept of "society" was long, controversial and complex. There are still some countries where women do not have the right to vote. There are also states where entire segments of the population are excluded from society.

As mentioned above, it is the 18th century that is considered the frontier that changed the economic side of Europe. This happened thanks to the industrial revolution, when large-scale industry with hired workers replaced the family workshops. Urbanization and industrialization broke into modern society. Philosophy as a science also did not stand still and began to develop rapidly.

Freedom of citizens, their education began to grow rapidly. The economy has made it possible for many to gain independence. This led to the spread of the concept of "personality" to ordinary citizens, who until recently were not considered full members of society. A new form of society began to develop - democracy, based on the equality of each person before the law. The flagship of industrialization in Europe was England, which sproutedfor the development of industry, free enterprise and new legislation.

Life conditions, nature and society

Philosophy as a social science deals with the study of man and his environment, which includes nature. Therefore, one of the main points of the analysis of society is its attitude to nature and its diversity of types. Materialistic philosophy has identified such aspects of the relationship between man and nature:

• genetic connection;
• evolution;
• anthropogenesis and sociogenesis;
• ontological connection.

The concept of "nature" is the basis of human existence, the source of the necessary substances, products and objects. The epistemological, spiritual connection that nature and society have is defined by philosophy as a prerequisite for the cognitive activity of people and a condition for their emotional and psychological stability.

"Nature" in philosophy is a synonym for the words "world", "matter", "Universe", "being". It also means the essence of many phenomena (the nature of electricity, disease, etc.); relatively socially opposed natural environment (everything that is not the result of human labor).

In general, we can say that the concept of "nature" plays a big role. Human society philosophy defines as part of the totality.

Disharmony

Consumer's practices in relation to natural resources have led to a violation of the harmony in the environment. Since the 20th century, it has become clear thatthere was a threat to the existence of humanity as a whole as a biological species, expressed by an ecological crisis. We state the pollution of water, air, soil, lack of resources, the disappearance of certain species of plants and animals, the destruction of forests, global warming, ozone holes, etc. As a result, the he alth of the population of the entire planet has deteriorated greatly. The degradation of the gene pool has become noticeable.

As a science, philosophy has become even more important in the life of a person and society. Studying it, a person begins to think about the eternal, the meaning of being and the role of man on Earth. It is necessary to change people's consciousness, it has materialized too much and "clung" to the flesh. The consciousness of modern people has become too consumerist. It is clear that all nature, plants, animals are created as benefits for mankind, but if we do not treat them with care, with a sense of gratitude, then very soon we will find ourselves not only in a state of crisis, but will also be doomed to extinction.

Mass consciousness

Today, concern for the environment has become the main feature that forms the consciousness of the society of entire states. Therefore, the modern philosophy of society, in short, is aimed at the development of self-awareness and responsibility of people to the entire planet, all creations on this Earth and even in the Universe, awareness of the key role in the development of evolution and its degradation as well. If until recently, in a state of ecology, mankind saw only a threat to nature itself, its beauty, then today we already understand that this is a direct damage to our he alth,well-being and existence.

Modern philosophy in the life of society is also aimed at relations with nature. The whole planet is a single organism, so humanity must unite in solving the ecological crisis. After all, alien nature does not exist. It is one, and the planet is on the verge of disaster. Society has become on the verge of a new stage of interaction, a concept characterizing the sphere of reason enters our consciousness.

Noosphere

This concept expresses the highest level of integration of existing forms of matter, as a result of human activity, which rebuilds the interests of mankind in accordance with the needs of the biosphere, making it responsible for its evolution. Philosophy considers the modern development of society as the relationship between man and nature, not in terms of his power over it, but as an interweaving, parallel development and interaction. The concept of the noosphere embodies the idea of the necessary rational organization of society and its interaction with nature, and not a spontaneous and predatory attitude towards it.

It is necessary to understand that society exists only thanks to the living environment. Modern society, as a system whose philosophy will not develop towards the concepts of the noosphere, will be doomed to extinction. You can not be irresponsible to the world around you. Man, as an individual, is part of a whole vast world, and he is obliged to reckon with the laws aimed at creation, and not at destruction. Otherwise, he can hardly claim the title of Homo sapiens.