Discussions of the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are mainly emotional. Alt... more Discussions of the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are mainly emotional. Although “truth of the heart” contained in them is existentially accurate and convincing, it is not sufficient for public and productive discourse focused on countering the pandemic. The pandemic situation is an emergency requiring extraordinary measures. As experience shows, in emergency, the authorities’ actions are often lead to unjustified restriction and even direct violation of civil liberties and rights. The discussion of the problems associated with the pandemic needs an adequate normative language. Meanwhile, the fight against the epidemics of viral diseases of recent decades prompted UNESCO and WHO in awareness of the danger of pandemics, to initiate developing normative documents that formulated principles defining the ethical priorities of the authorities' policy in the field of health and public safety. The article specifies the main documents accepted by these organizations, as well as some others related to the issues under discussion and presents the most important ethical principles of activities aimed at preserving people's health. It shows how normative ethics “works” in practice — what is its structure and what ensures the imperative effectiveness of primary moral values, how they are translated into operational attitudes of political and professional activity. Besides guidelines for decision makers and political coordinators, ethical documents are important for they provide the society with criteria for assessment of public authorities and other social agents in their efforts to counter the pandemic. They propose a normative language, using which the society, including media workers, can claim the authorities, referring to universal and approved by the international expert community ethical principles.
The universality test is a significant reflective procedure, owing to which Kant’s categorical im... more The universality test is a significant reflective procedure, owing to which Kant’s categorical imperative is brought into proximity with moral practice and with an agent’s decisions made in particular circumstances and at the face of value collisions. The test is to be done in every single case by a moral agent her/himself and it aims to examine a selected maxim for its universality, that is to its congruity to universal and necessary moral law and hence to its moral dignity. This issue has been broadly developed during the last century either within Kant studies, or in positive philosophical discussions, often sharply polemical. The paper represents some positions in those discussions (O. O’Neill, D. Parfit, H.J. Paton, J. Rawls, A.P. Skripnik, E.Y. Soloviev, A.K. Sudakov, A. Wood). No matter how important the universality test in an agent’s moral decisions, so far universality signifies one of three embodiments of the categorical imperative, it would be wrong to consider the test ...
The genesis of thinking according to the type and the spirit of the Golden Rule (and conjugated w... more The genesis of thinking according to the type and the spirit of the Golden Rule (and conjugated with it Lex Talionis and the Commandment of Love) is considered as a pattern of historical formation of morality in general. Moral thinking was shaped by understanding and mastering the experience of particular communicative situations. Prior to normative generalizations and universal prescriptivity the logic of moral thinking was gradually growing up of the expectations of agents of communicative situations as logic of reciprocity and mutuality. The analysis is based on the material of Homer's poems.
The principle of reciprocity is fundamental to the Old Testament moral world and is traced in all... more The principle of reciprocity is fundamental to the Old Testament moral world and is traced in all its main manifestations. In the Old Testament books, they are comprehensively presented in descriptions of both, the relationship between God and the humans, and human relations. The article considers the principle of reciprocity on the basis of its main forms – Lex Talionis, gratitude and the Golden Rule, in its two types – retrospective reciprocity of retaliatory actions (positive or negative) and prospective reciprocity of initiative actions that implement an agent’s benevolence towards others. The study has been grounded on a normative-ethical analysis of imperative and narrative texts of the Old Testament books. Some narrative plots (Gen. 21: 22–24, 27; 26: 26–31; Nav. 2: 1–24) are especially significant for the study of the Golden Rule, which is present in the Old Testament mostly rudimentary: the analysis of the corresponding narratives allows us to reconstruct the process of crystallization of thinking in the spirit of the Golden Rule at a proto-normative stage. The Lex Talionis and the Golden Rule normative dynamics shows that the principle of reciprocity, which initially emerged in the practice of trade exchanges and became a means to ensure the coherence of social relations, was gradually realized as a universal principle of social life and as such turned out to be fundamental for morality.
Proceedings of a Discussion on «Prolegomena to Moral Responsibility» (RAS Institute of Philosophy... more Proceedings of a Discussion on «Prolegomena to Moral Responsibility» (RAS Institute of Philosophy, March 2021).
Discussions of the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are mainly emotional. Alt... more Discussions of the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are mainly emotional. Although “truth of the heart” contained in them is existentially accurate and convincing, it is not sufficient for public and productive discourse focused on countering the pandemic. The pandemic situation is an emergency requiring extraordinary measures. As experience shows, in emergency, the authorities’ actions are often lead to unjustified restriction and even direct violation of civil liberties and rights. The discussion of the problems associated with the pandemic needs an adequate normative language. Meanwhile, the fight against the epidemics of viral diseases of recent decades prompted UNESCO and WHO in awareness of the danger of pandemics, to initiate developing normative documents that formulated principles defining the ethical priorities of the authorities' policy in the field of health and public safety. The article specifies the main documents accepted by these organizations, as well as some others related to the issues under discussion and presents the most important ethical principles of activities aimed at preserving people's health. It shows how normative ethics “works” in practice – what is its structure and what ensures the imperative effectiveness of primary moral values, how they are translated into operational attitudes of political and professional activity. Besides guidelines for decision makers and political coordinators, ethical documents are important for they provide the society with criteria for assessment of public authorities and other social agents in their efforts to counter the pandemic. They propose a normative language, using which the society, including media workers, can claim the authorities, referring to universal and approved by the international expert community ethical principles.
Discussions of the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are mainly emotional. Alt... more Discussions of the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are mainly emotional. Although “truth of the heart” contained in them is existentially accurate and convincing, it is not sufficient for public and productive discourse focused on countering the pandemic. The pandemic situation is an emergency requiring extraordinary measures. As experience shows, in emergency, the authorities’ actions are often lead to unjustified restriction and even direct violation of civil liberties and rights. The discussion of the problems associated with the pandemic needs an adequate normative language. Meanwhile, the fight against the epidemics of viral diseases of recent decades prompted UNESCO and WHO in awareness of the danger of pandemics, to initiate developing normative documents that formulated principles defining the ethical priorities of the authorities' policy in the field of health and public safety. The article specifies the main documents accepted by these organizations, as well as some others related to the issues under discussion and presents the most important ethical principles of activities aimed at preserving people's health. It shows how normative ethics “works” in practice — what is its structure and what ensures the imperative effectiveness of primary moral values, how they are translated into operational attitudes of political and professional activity. Besides guidelines for decision makers and political coordinators, ethical documents are important for they provide the society with criteria for assessment of public authorities and other social agents in their efforts to counter the pandemic. They propose a normative language, using which the society, including media workers, can claim the authorities, referring to universal and approved by the international expert community ethical principles.
The universality test is a significant reflective procedure, owing to which Kant’s categorical im... more The universality test is a significant reflective procedure, owing to which Kant’s categorical imperative is brought into proximity with moral practice and with an agent’s decisions made in particular circumstances and at the face of value collisions. The test is to be done in every single case by a moral agent her/himself and it aims to examine a selected maxim for its universality, that is to its congruity to universal and necessary moral law and hence to its moral dignity. This issue has been broadly developed during the last century either within Kant studies, or in positive philosophical discussions, often sharply polemical. The paper represents some positions in those discussions (O. O’Neill, D. Parfit, H.J. Paton, J. Rawls, A.P. Skripnik, E.Y. Soloviev, A.K. Sudakov, A. Wood). No matter how important the universality test in an agent’s moral decisions, so far universality signifies one of three embodiments of the categorical imperative, it would be wrong to consider the test ...
The genesis of thinking according to the type and the spirit of the Golden Rule (and conjugated w... more The genesis of thinking according to the type and the spirit of the Golden Rule (and conjugated with it Lex Talionis and the Commandment of Love) is considered as a pattern of historical formation of morality in general. Moral thinking was shaped by understanding and mastering the experience of particular communicative situations. Prior to normative generalizations and universal prescriptivity the logic of moral thinking was gradually growing up of the expectations of agents of communicative situations as logic of reciprocity and mutuality. The analysis is based on the material of Homer's poems.
The principle of reciprocity is fundamental to the Old Testament moral world and is traced in all... more The principle of reciprocity is fundamental to the Old Testament moral world and is traced in all its main manifestations. In the Old Testament books, they are comprehensively presented in descriptions of both, the relationship between God and the humans, and human relations. The article considers the principle of reciprocity on the basis of its main forms – Lex Talionis, gratitude and the Golden Rule, in its two types – retrospective reciprocity of retaliatory actions (positive or negative) and prospective reciprocity of initiative actions that implement an agent’s benevolence towards others. The study has been grounded on a normative-ethical analysis of imperative and narrative texts of the Old Testament books. Some narrative plots (Gen. 21: 22–24, 27; 26: 26–31; Nav. 2: 1–24) are especially significant for the study of the Golden Rule, which is present in the Old Testament mostly rudimentary: the analysis of the corresponding narratives allows us to reconstruct the process of crystallization of thinking in the spirit of the Golden Rule at a proto-normative stage. The Lex Talionis and the Golden Rule normative dynamics shows that the principle of reciprocity, which initially emerged in the practice of trade exchanges and became a means to ensure the coherence of social relations, was gradually realized as a universal principle of social life and as such turned out to be fundamental for morality.
Proceedings of a Discussion on «Prolegomena to Moral Responsibility» (RAS Institute of Philosophy... more Proceedings of a Discussion on «Prolegomena to Moral Responsibility» (RAS Institute of Philosophy, March 2021).
Discussions of the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are mainly emotional. Alt... more Discussions of the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are mainly emotional. Although “truth of the heart” contained in them is existentially accurate and convincing, it is not sufficient for public and productive discourse focused on countering the pandemic. The pandemic situation is an emergency requiring extraordinary measures. As experience shows, in emergency, the authorities’ actions are often lead to unjustified restriction and even direct violation of civil liberties and rights. The discussion of the problems associated with the pandemic needs an adequate normative language. Meanwhile, the fight against the epidemics of viral diseases of recent decades prompted UNESCO and WHO in awareness of the danger of pandemics, to initiate developing normative documents that formulated principles defining the ethical priorities of the authorities' policy in the field of health and public safety. The article specifies the main documents accepted by these organizations, as well as some others related to the issues under discussion and presents the most important ethical principles of activities aimed at preserving people's health. It shows how normative ethics “works” in practice – what is its structure and what ensures the imperative effectiveness of primary moral values, how they are translated into operational attitudes of political and professional activity. Besides guidelines for decision makers and political coordinators, ethical documents are important for they provide the society with criteria for assessment of public authorities and other social agents in their efforts to counter the pandemic. They propose a normative language, using which the society, including media workers, can claim the authorities, referring to universal and approved by the international expert community ethical principles.
В апреле 2017 г. журнале “Вопросы философии” прошла конференция — “круглый
стол”, посвященная обс... more В апреле 2017 г. журнале “Вопросы философии” прошла конференция — “круглый стол”, посвященная обсуждению ситуации, сложившейся в области современных этических исследований и перспектив разработки этической проблематики в отечественной философской этике. Актуальность тематики конференции обусловлена тем, что сегодня интенсивно меняется духовная атмосфера в стране и мире. Поэтому этическая проблематика становится важнейшим элементом философской работы как у нас в стране, так и за рубежом. Участники ставили перед собой задачу проанализировать нравственные альтернативы современного мира, обусловленные ориентацией этики на абсолютные основания нравственности, с одной стороны, и фактической релятивностью этических норм — с другой, что выражается в отрыве прикладных этик от философской этики. В центре обсуждения и дискуссий были проблемы и трудности в российских этических исследованиях и попытки определить приоритеты их развития на ближайшее будущее. Все участники возникавших в ходе обсуждения острых дискуссий были согласны в том, что современную ситуацию в этике можно адекватно понять только в широком историческом контексте философских опытов в этой области и, прежде всего, в контексте релевантной философско-методологической проблематики. Ниже публикуются материалы обсуждения.
Бесспорна ли сосредоточенность современных исследований инженерного дела на экономической, управл... more Бесспорна ли сосредоточенность современных исследований инженерного дела на экономической, управленческой, технологической и т. п. проблематике? Избранная авторами коллективной монографии проблематизация вводит в исследовательское поле инженерной профессии инновационную профессионально-этическую проблематику: «правильное исполнение работы» или «исполнение правильной работы» – как мировоззренческое напряжение профессии инженера в современном мире; моральные дилеммы инженерного дела в условиях трансформирующегося общества: «думать как инженер или думать как менеджер»; «экологичность versus практичности»; парадигма этики профессионального успеха инженера и т. д. Формирование и воспроизводство инженерной этики рассматривается в качестве фундаментального элемента миссии современного Университета. Монография представляет опыт коллективной рефлексии, организованной исследовательским проектом журнала «Ведомости прикладной этики», издаваемого Тюменским индустриальным университетом. Книга открывает серию «Библиотека журнала – Ведомости прикладной этики‖» и адресована как исследователям в сфере инженерной этики, так и студентам, магистрантам, профессорам, молодым специалистам и инженерам со стажем. Авторский коллектив: И.Ю. Алексеева, д.ф.н., доц. (II.3; V.1; V.5), Р.Г. Апресян, д.ф.н., проф. (I.3; II.1), В.И. Бакштановский, д.ф.н., проф. (I.1; II.4), М.В. Богданова, д.с.н., доц. (II.4), Е.Н. Викторук, д.ф.н., проф. (V.3), В.Г. Горохов, д.ф.н., проф. (II.5), А.А. Гусейнов, д.ф.н., проф., ака-демик РАН (I.5.), А.А. Малюк, к.т.н., проф. (V.1; V.5), Г.В. Панина, к.ф.н., доц. (V.4), А.В. Прокофьев, д.ф.н., доц. (III.1; IV.1), М.М. Рогожа, д.ф.н., доц. (III.3), А.А. Скворцов, к.ф.н., доц. (I.4), Ю. В. Согомонов, д.ф.н., проф. (I.1), А.Ю. Согомонов, к.и.н., (II.2; IV.2; V.2), А.А. Сычев, д.ф.н., доц. (I.2; III.2; IV.3).
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Papers by Ruben Apressyan
стол”, посвященная обсуждению ситуации, сложившейся в области современных этических
исследований и перспектив разработки этической проблематики в отечественной
философской этике. Актуальность тематики конференции обусловлена тем, что
сегодня интенсивно меняется духовная атмосфера в стране и мире. Поэтому этическая
проблематика становится важнейшим элементом философской работы как у нас
в стране, так и за рубежом. Участники ставили перед собой задачу проанализировать
нравственные альтернативы современного мира, обусловленные ориентацией этики
на абсолютные основания нравственности, с одной стороны, и фактической релятивностью
этических норм — с другой, что выражается в отрыве прикладных этик от
философской этики. В центре обсуждения и дискуссий были проблемы и трудности
в российских этических исследованиях и попытки определить приоритеты их развития
на ближайшее будущее. Все участники возникавших в ходе обсуждения острых
дискуссий были согласны в том, что современную ситуацию в этике можно адекватно
понять только в широком историческом контексте философских опытов в этой области
и, прежде всего, в контексте релевантной философско-методологической проблематики.
Ниже публикуются материалы обсуждения.
Авторский коллектив: И.Ю. Алексеева, д.ф.н., доц. (II.3; V.1; V.5), Р.Г. Апресян, д.ф.н., проф. (I.3; II.1), В.И. Бакштановский, д.ф.н., проф. (I.1; II.4), М.В. Богданова, д.с.н., доц. (II.4), Е.Н. Викторук, д.ф.н., проф. (V.3), В.Г. Горохов, д.ф.н., проф. (II.5), А.А. Гусейнов, д.ф.н., проф., ака-демик РАН (I.5.), А.А. Малюк, к.т.н., проф. (V.1; V.5), Г.В. Панина, к.ф.н., доц. (V.4), А.В. Прокофьев, д.ф.н., доц. (III.1; IV.1), М.М. Рогожа, д.ф.н., доц. (III.3), А.А. Скворцов, к.ф.н., доц. (I.4), Ю. В. Согомонов, д.ф.н., проф. (I.1), А.Ю. Согомонов, к.и.н., (II.2; IV.2; V.2), А.А. Сычев, д.ф.н., доц. (I.2; III.2; IV.3).