The social essence of man

The definition of the essence of a person is inseparable from the discussion of the contradictions of his existence, his being. K. Marx saw the essence of man in the totality (ensemble) public relations that form this or that attitude of a person to the world in different historical epochs. To understand how, when and why social relations arise, it is necessary to turn again to the genesis of the human race, to the problem of the emergence and consolidation of extrabiological forms of regulation of activity.

A huge role in this process was played by the development of language as a specifically human channel of communication and the basis for successful substantive and practical activity. Without the name of objects and phenomena, without their designation, it would have been impossible to develop production and communication and thus the sociality of the “fabric” that united primitive people and separated “ours” and “aliens”, harmful and useful, sacred and ordinary.

Natural development, which prepared the substrate for the emergence of a fundamentally new, supra-biological, supernatural way of human survival and improvement, which is called human culture. Its essence lies in the transmission through information channels of the methods of communication between individuals, traditions, customs, rituals and everything that is expressed by a word.

Sexual and food prohibitions (taboos) were probably the most ancient forms of regulation of human behavior, which acted as a kind of "guide to action" based on the experience of ancestors. Taboos were universal prohibitions that applied to all members of the clan - men and women, strong and weak, elders and children. The realization of the fact of death was of great importance for the formation of a person, which can be seen from ritual burials already in the Paleolithic era. It is obvious that in the minds of primitive man very early there was a division of the world into the real and the other world, the earthly and the supernatural.

In the formation of the social essence of man, labor played a huge role as an expedient human activity to transform nature in order to satisfy his needs. In a philosophical sense, the origin of labor and its initial evolution are interesting, first of all, because in this process the basis for collective interaction of people, socio-psychological stereotypes of their behavior were laid. It is clear that at the earliest stages the natural appropriation of the fruits of the earth prevailed, although nature had already acted as a condition for nascent production, as an arsenal of means of labor. The first type of relationship between our ancestors and nature can be described as use. It also gave rise to the first primitive forms of awareness of such phenomena as property and power.

The rudiments of future property arose, apparently, as a certain form of relationship between "we" and "they" (that is, another tribe) about food sources. The next step, obviously, was associated with the development of tenure, that is, purposeful long-term use, for example, fire as the property of the entire tribal community or food supplies, a "common cauldron." Finally, with the development of production, the establishment of regular exchanges of products of labor with neighboring communities, the phenomenon of disposing of the results of production appears, from which trade grows. This process was especially accelerated during the period of the so-called "Neolithic revolution", with the transition to agriculture, cattle breeding and handicrafts.

The essence of a person can also be seen not only in social relations, but also in the uniquely unique mental and spiritual organization of a person, which will be discussed below.

LECTURE: Society and its structure

Lecture plan:

1. The concept of society.

2. Society as a self-developing system.

3. Civil society and the state.

4. Formation, civilization, world-system as forms of organization of society.

The concept of society

The terms "society", "public", "social" are widespread, but very ambiguous, despite the fact that even in the XIX century. arose the science of sociology, which has as its subject the study of society. Its founder, O. Comte, considered sociology “ social physics"And" positive morality "capable of becoming a new religion of all mankind. In the same century, society was called a plant, and an animal, and a person, and an alliance, and interaction, and solidarity, and struggle. The Latin verb "socio" means to unite, unite, start a joint work. Hence the original meaning of the word "society" - community, union, cooperation. Aristotle called man a "political animal", implying that only people are able to voluntarily and consciously unite into society. Not every community of people is a society, but any society is, in one way or another, a self-governing community.

K. Marx and his followers developed a dialectical-materialist concept of society, the essence of which is the position on the method of production of material goods, which is formed objectively, that is, independently of the will and consciousness of people, and basically determines the way of being of the "social organism" ... From the form of material production "follows, firstly, a certain structure of society, and secondly, a certain attitude of people to nature." Their political system, and their spiritual structure is determined by both. History in the Marxist concept appears as a "natural-historical process", where objective "laws of tendency" operate in combination with a subjective factor. The strong point this concept is the doctrine of the special "sensory-supersensible" nature of "social matter", of the duality of the existence of man and society, as well as the idea of ​​the stages of evolution of social ties depending on the forms of being of people and their joint activities (personal and material dependence of people on each other friend).

However, some of the provisions of this concept have not received clear confirmation in the real socio-historical practice of the XX century. In particular, the grandiose social experiment of building a socialist society in one country (group of countries) in a capitalist encirclement was not crowned with success.

The development of concepts based on a naturalistic approach to explaining the phenomena of society and man continues. From these positions, society is viewed as a natural continuation of natural and cosmic laws. The course of history and the fate of peoples is mainly determined by the rhythms of the Cosmos and solar activity (A. Chizhevsky, L. Gumilev), the peculiarities of the natural and climatic environment (L. Mechnikov), the evolution of the natural organization of man, his gene pool (sociobiology). Society is viewed as the highest, but far from the most successful creation of nature, and man as the most imperfect living being, genetically burdened by the desire for destruction and violence.

In idealistic models of the development of society, its essence is seen in a complex of certain ideas, beliefs, myths, etc. First of all, we are talking about the religious concepts of society. World religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism), as well as national religions (Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism), have their own models of the structure of society and the state. Their essence lies in the idea of ​​divine predestination of the structure of society, which should provide a person with the conditions for a worthy meeting with God in this and future life. The idealistic approach to society and history is expressed with the greatest force in the philosophical system of G. Hegel, where the Absolute Spirit expresses itself in the “consciousness of freedom” in human history. The latter is the material for the Spirit, in which he cognizes himself and rises to a new level.

Mention should be made of the concepts of society in the philosophical thought of the West of the 20th century. It is difficult to single out any one dominant approach here. So, E. Durkheim argued that society is a reality of a special kind, not reducible to others and influencing a person on the basis of the idea of ​​social solidarity. M. Weber created “understanding sociology” and developed the concept of “ideal type”, on the basis of which he analyzed the phenomenon of bureaucracy and Protestant ethics as “the spirit of capitalism”. K. Popper introduced the concepts of "social technology" and "social engineering", believing that the course of history is not subject to design. He substantiated the concept of an "open society" and pointed out the dangers of totalitarianism.

In general, all the named models of society cannot claim to be absolute truth, but express certain facets of the most complex reality, which is defined by the term "society". One way or another, with any approach for its philosophical understanding, it is necessary to solve a two-fold task: 1) to understand the place of society as a system in the general structure of the world and 2) to understand the general invariants of the social structure throughout its historical development.

Man is a biosocial being.

In 1920, in India, Dr. Sing discovered two girls in a wolf's den - 2 years old and 7-8 years old. In a village in West Bengal, he heard a story about forest spirits that sometimes appear near peasant huts. Eyewitnesses most seriously argued that these spirits are similar to people, but run on four legs. After listening to several dozen people, Sing, as an inquisitive and non-superstitious person, came to the conclusion that a very real phenomenon lies behind the stories about "spirits". One of the peasants pointed out to him the place where the "forest spirits" appear most often. Sing organized an ambush there and saw the incredible: first, three wolves and two wolf cubs appeared, and two humanoid creatures slowly marched after them. Like wolves, they walked on four legs.
To find out everything to the end, Sing decided to enter the wolf's lair, where this unusual family lived. Frightened, the peasants accompanying the pastor refused to help him. And only a week later, having persuaded the hunters, Sing went to the den. The two adult wolves immediately fled, but the she-wolf remained to protect her children to the end. I had to shoot her. Two wolf cubs and two feral girls were found in the den. The eldest in appearance could be given seven to eight years, and the youngest - about two. The youngest, Amala, soon died, and Kamala lived to be 17 years old. Pastor Sing described her life in detail, day after day, for nine years. Here are just a few facts.
Kamala was very afraid of sunlight and fire. She recognized only raw meat as food. I walked on all fours. During the day, the girl usually slept, and at night she wandered around the house. In the first days of their stay among people, the "wolf sisters" were constantly howling every night, and their howl was repeated through correct spacing time - about ten o'clock in the evening, at one o'clock in the morning and at four o'clock in the morning.
The “humanization” of Kamala took place with great difficulty. For a very long time, she did not recognize any clothes, tearing off everything that they tried to put on her. With particular stubbornness and fear, she resisted washing. Only after two years of living among people, Kamala was taught to stand and walk on two legs, but when she wanted to move faster, she still got on all fours.
Gradually, Kamala got used to sleeping at night, eating with her hands, and not tearing food with her teeth, drinking from a glass. The most difficult thing was to teach the feral girl to human speech. Even seven years after Kamala was taken from the wolf's den, she only understood about 45 words. By the age of 15, the mental development of the "wolf pupil" corresponded to the development of a two-year-old child, and by the age of 17 - a four-year-old.
In total, science knows 15 cases of feeding human cubs by wolves, 5 by bears, 1 by baboons, other breeds of monkeys - at least 10 cases, 1 child was fed by a leopard, 1 by a sheep.

(material from "Wikipedia")

The main differences between humans and animals

Animal	Person
1. Existence is guided only by instincts.	1. Along with instincts, a person possesses thinking and articulate speech, which direct human activity.
2. Subordinate to instinct, all actions are initially programmed.	2. Can carry out conscious purposeful creative activity. Man is able to curb his instincts.
3. Adapts to the environment that determines his lifestyle. He cannot make fundamental changes in his existence.	3. Converts the world, creates material and spiritual benefits.
4. Some animals can use improvised means, such as stones, sticks, but no animal can make tools.	4. Can make tools of labor and use them as a means of producing material goods.
5. Reproduces only its biological essence.	5. Reproduces not only biological, but also social essence; satisfies material and spiritual needs.

Individual(from Lat. individuum - indivisible, undivided) is a single representative of the human race, a concrete bearer of all social and psychological traits of mankind: reason, will, needs, interests, etc.
The term "individual" is used to refer to a person as a separate individual among other people. The individual is not just one, but always "one of".
Individuality- this is a unique originality of human manifestations, emphasizing the exclusivity, versatility and harmony, naturalness and ease of his activities.
The concept of "individuality" is used to refer to a person as one of many, but taking into account his personal characteristics: appearance, demeanor, character, temperament, intelligence, abilities, etc.
Personality(from Lat. persona - actor's mask) is a human individual who is a subject of conscious activity, possessing a set of socially significant traits, properties and qualities that he implements in public life.
The concept of "personality" is used to refer to a person with socially significant qualities. Not every person is a person. They are born as an individual, acquire individuality, and become a person in the process of socialization.
Socialization Is a process of assimilation and further development individual knowledge, cultural norms, traditions and social experience necessary for life in society.
Distinguish the following stages of socialization:
elementary- family, preschool institutions;
average- school;
final- mastering new roles: spouse, parent, grandmother, etc.
The socialization process is influenced socialization agents- a variety of factors and specific people responsible for teaching other people cultural norms and helping them to master different social roles.
Primary socialization agents- parents, relatives and distant relatives, friends, teachers, etc.
Secondary socialization agents- mass media (media), educational institutions, manufacturing enterprises etc.
Institutions of socialization- these are social institutions that influence the process of socialization and guide it. Institutions of socialization are also subdivided into primary and secondary ones.
Primary institutions of socialization there may be a family, school, university, secondary- Mass media, army, church.
Primary socialization of a person is carried out in the sphere of interpersonal relations, secondary - in the sphere of social relations.

In philosophical anthropology, the most important place in understanding the essence of man is the interpretation of man as a social being. The search for natural or divine principles, traditional in the former philosophy human nature modern theory, based on the sociocentrism of the era of classicism, on the philosophy of Georg Hegel, Karl Marx, Auguste Comte, opposes the idea of ​​a person's belonging to a special form of reality: a social system in which a person acts both as a product, the result of processing natural biological material by means of culture, and as a personified the embodiment of this system, the subject of new transformations that emerged in it and, therefore, the driving force of the self-development of society.

The content of social life is embodied primarily in cultural objects. Indeed, the world of things, the artificial environment of a person is a “speaking”, even “screaming” world about the person himself. Imagine a fantastic situation - such as in the story "At the End of Times" by the outstanding American writer Ray Bradbury. People disappeared on Earth, but everything they created remained intact. At this moment, "little green men" from "flying plates" land on the planet and find the entire objective world of human culture. Will they be able to restore the outer image and the inner appearance of the creators of this world?

I think so, and quite easily. Even Friedrich Engels wrote in his book Anti-Dühring: “Tell me what the main tool of labor is used by people, and I will tell you what kind of social system they have. If it is a stone ax and a bow and arrow, then this is a primitive society. If it is a wooden plow and a windmill, then it is feudalism. If it is a steam engine and an electric motor, then this is capitalism. "

Exploring household items - clothes, dwellings, furniture - "little green men" reconstruct the proportions and appearance human body. By finding our food, fields and farms, food complexes and grocery counters, they will establish the chemistry and physiology of our body. Dealing with our factories, transport, energy sources, they will understand our technologies, which means they will establish the level of development productive forces and, consequently, the main types of social institutions, including the type of socio-economic formation. Finally, having deciphered our languages ​​and read our books, as we do with the writing of extinct cultures such as the Egyptians or the Mayans, by playing sound and video recordings, they will open our spiritual world, our logic and psychology, will understand our aspirations, troubles and joys, fears and hopes.

True, the story of Ray Bradbury ends unexpectedly. Aliens find a movie projector and film reels. Having adjusted the device, they look at the screen and are touched: so that is what they were - people! Meanwhile, the final credits appear: a Walt Disney Film Studio production. So that's what they were - people: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck! But this is humor. In reality, things and people are mutually representative, that is, they mirror each other, because people create things for themselves and according to their own measure.

However, one must understand that objective culture itself is dead without human activity that sets it in motion. Therefore, social life is reflected in the very structures and organizational forms of activity, in the attributes of work, communication, ways of life, which make up the characteristics of the way of life. This slice of social reality is expressed in the practical, functional organization of the system of social relations. Here, the reflection of social life enters the level of sign systems: along with objects and tools of activity, signs appear - artificial things, the special function of which is to replace objects of activity and which act as tools of communication, communication, information processes. The most universal, flexible, comprehensive system of such signs is natural language, colloquial speech.

Ultimately, actions with objects, labor operations, together with systems of signs, figurative or symbolic, are introduced into the psyche of individuals, changing and shaping its content. A person who is included in the system of social relations, in the social sphere, develops the ability to think, radically restructuring his psyche. He has the opportunity to use speech to record, accumulate information, transfer it from the past to the present, connecting the experience inherent in memory, or project it into the future, predicting the results of activities, anticipating future events. Thus, a person becomes a part and personified embodiment of the social system, acquires the quality of a personality, and his activity becomes conscious.

Real situations in which a person found himself isolated from the social environment are convinced of the validity of this conclusion. Numerous cases are known when human babies were found fed by animals, most often by wolves. The fabulous Mowgli from The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling had many prototypes. One such example is given in his book The Child of Man Found among Wolves by the English missionary Dr. Singh. For sixteen years he tried to raise the girl Kamala, who was brought to him by hunters from the jungle of the Indian state of Uttar Pradezh. Alas! Unlike the fairy tale, it was not possible to raise a child as a person: she never learned to walk, live in a house, use clothes or household items, moreover, she did not learn to speak, remaining a trained wolf cub. The missed first months and years, according to the famous American pediatrician Benjamin Spock, put irreversible changes in the psyche of the individual.

Another example of human isolation is a loner on a desert island, like a character in the novel by the English writer Daniel Defoe "The Life and the Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a sailor from York." In the novel, the hero spent more than two decades on a desert island and remained an outstanding person. However, this, unfortunately, is fantastic. Many dozens of actual finds of people abandoned in loneliness are known: the results are sad. Defoe himself took as a basis for his novel the case described in the book "A Journey Around the World" by the famous traveler, captain of the French Royal Navy Dumont D'Urville, when the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk was found on the island of Juan Fernandez in the Pacific four years. "When Captain Rogers took him to his ship, he was so unaccustomed to talking that at first he uttered only inarticulate sounds, refused the vodka offered to him and for several weeks could not taste meat cooked in European style on the ship."

We add that for a long time Selkirk could not tell anything about himself: he forgot everything, and only a long time later "remembered everything." Loss of speech, loss of memory are the surest signs of destruction of personality, savagery of a person who can be and remain a person only and exclusively in a society of his own kind, in a social environment. Isolation kills a person and sooner or later the process of becoming savage becomes irreversible.

More attention should be paid to the fact that living individuals become conscious individuals not by virtue of purely natural properties. Their social quality is not embedded in the genotype, but is acquired in the process of socialization, education in a cultural environment. Consequently, without an organic connection with things and signs, without a practical-objective connection with other people in the structures of social institutions, there can be no talk of conscious individuals.

Different eras represent completely opposite opinions. L. Feuerbach argued that the essence of a person is predetermined in advance and depends on the inherent genes. After birth, a person cannot change biological data, therefore reason, feeling and will are constant indicators. K. Marx continues this idea, but correcting the concept, emphasizes the influence of the socio-historical era and reminds: "The manifestation of the behavior of each individual is affected by the totality of social relations."

The closer to the present, the clearer the conclusions become. famous people about the essence of man. Each of the philosophers emphasizes his main idea, which characterizes. Freedom of choice, thinking, spirituality, self-knowledge, will, reason, creative energy, work - all these concepts are significant and special, but only when they are united and consistent with the inner aspirations for harmony. Separately, this is only a small part of life without further development. They, scientists, were not indifferent to the essence of being, but focusing on one thought, they excluded another.

Initial findings

If you combine the thoughts of scientists together, you can deduce a general formulation that gives the initial concepts - what exactly is the embedded or acquired essence of a person. Creatures, i.e. people are endowed with natural and social qualities applicable for creative and free activity, which is imbued with a historical character inherent in a particular time. It is clear and confusing at the same time. Why are there no preferred traits - wisdom, beauty, morality, justice? What is the fault of love - the primary need to affirm one's self?

Love helps to show individuality in free directions. By contacting with the object of sympathy, a person studies and cognizes its essence. The uniqueness of one and the opposition of the other. Social natural inner strength is able to change through communication, emphasizing the importance of reciprocal feelings. The dynamic development in the life of the population of any city or village is inextricably linked with the theme of love - family, work, society. They are impressed by whatever they like.

By bringing people closer to other living beings, social philosophy simultaneously reveals the difference. Obeying the laws of biological processes, a person, as a higher being, has the same systems on a par with the lower ones: nervous, circulatory, muscular. However, a social trait develops due to a connection with society, adding to the existing natural properties readiness for work, freedom of choice, morality and morality, responsibility for commitments, reason, etc.

Social community life can dramatically change biological data. Through a step-by-step upbringing, a new personality is formed in the right direction. In the modern interpretation, they adhere more to the unity of natural and social principles, when the ability to think, to act in the form of inclinations turns into more cognitive processes that characterize future life. The social task - adaptation and inculcation of the necessary qualities are assigned to parents, educators and teachers.

Cognition levels

With the help of five levels, the depth of cognition of the essence is qualified.

1. First. Activity for the sake of need.
2. Second. Activity through labor as a means of subsistence.
3. Third. Development of social relations.
4. Fourth. The emergence of conscious, purposeful actions aimed at understanding the world and finding your place in society.
5. Fifth. Free and creative activity leads to a change in society.

Moving from level to level, a clear concept comes to the individual, to be more precise, the subsequent and conscious activity.

Activity for a need

On the first level, existence is no different from animal life. There is also a need for food and sleep. If you limit your actions only to satisfy your hunger and give your body a break from movement, you will not have the desire to change and improve. existing order... There is no one to blame, nothing to analyze. Solid primitive.

Activity through labor

F. Engels said that "labor created man." The simple tools he received improve the way of life and living conditions. At the second level, gradually, through labor, a person becomes independent of natural conditions. Biological needs take on a different shade, not as an adaptation, but reliable remedy for play, study or work.

Development of public relations

It is known that a person manifests himself through activity. However, the work of one member of society implies the co-production of many other people in a team or family. At the third level, there is a consistent exchange of information, comprehension and transfer of experience, networking, attitudes, opinions, moods are formed. Delving into the system of social relations, for them, men, women and children, an ordinary need becomes a necessity for an independent sphere, in order to show development, the achievement of a result and the very essence.

Understanding the world and finding your place

Social conditions made the person think. By doing the job without much motivation, productivity stood still. As soon as the satisfaction of the task was obtained, efficiency and productivity increased rapidly. At the fourth level, a goal appears, which one would like to strive for. The goal was accumulated by experience, the social bar was raised, a high level was reached, and this made life easier, more convenient, more fun. The desire to have a plan in place emphasizes human ability to independence. On the one hand, the achieved result, on the other - the prerequisites for the next.

Freedom and creativity change society

The highest level, which is destined to lead only a select few. The activity he recognizes helps to pave new paths, destroy stereotypes and change not only himself, but also external circumstances. Man, providing existence, with complete creative freedom, creates beautiful masterpieces of art, develops technologies, lives with ideas and the future.

Social impact

Social communication, an attitude occurs when a change in one person occurs under the influence of another. Each in itself expresses the properties of society and brings change. Joint activity allows you to show peculiarities to a situation, to processes and a phenomenon. Different nations, classes, levels lead to different structures of society. You have to face, be aware and find an acceptable judgment.

It should be understood, in a broad and narrow aspect, what, directly or indirectly, is the awareness of the term "social essence" and the internal interactions of a person with the environment. The broad means the public, the narrow means the choice of a certain structure, group, collective. Because of this, opinion, choice, essence changes.

Language plays a huge role in the communication process. Without disclosing the designation of objects, names, to them, to people that are different or similar, it would be difficult to find a basis for vigorous activity, which could lead to a fundamentally new and qualitative turn in the exchange of information, strengthening of traditions.

Human vocation

The essence of a person implies satisfaction from life. They, the lucky ones, manage to choose their favorite specialty, to decide on the choice among many professions. Such people are radiant, pure and welcoming. They add value to the work done and put you in the mood. How did it happen that they were lucky and did not find many obstacles along the way? Apparently, the desire to possess abilities reaches its climax and inclines the universe to help. Or simply, they were able to recognize their calling.

The social program of upbringing implies not finding, but proposing stereotypes, according to which you need to pave your way. Offering other people's findings and methods, thereby denying their own, which is unusual and non-standard, adults sometimes trample on initial stage the rising sprout of individuality. Therefore, it is difficult for them, humble and quiet, to show persistence in order to declare their essence.

For a person whose attempts fail, the entity becomes a heavy burden. The time spent is marked by emptiness and dissatisfaction. When it is realized that half of the way is given to an unloved cause, finally, a forgotten vocation comes, which must be turned into reality. Of course, the social community will not always accept “with a bang” eccentric proposals for changes, but they do not understand how they want to create their own separate world.

Getting lost in difficult turns, a person must have a path that gives a starting point in order to return to the origins, regain strength and confidence for further advancement. In order not to get completely lost in the labyrinth of life, determine for yourself what is amazing and non-standard is your essence and great vocation as a person and a citizen.

Arguing about and the concept of what each day lived, you will certainly find harmony with yourself, with outside world, feel the point of contact between natural data and personal desires. The essence itself will force you to compare past feelings with new emotions that have come. People who are cheerful and restless will definitely want to cheer up and replace them with joy and success. Then it will be embarrassing for the lost time, but the acquired meaning of life will make you calm down.

Imagine a future where for a person the essence is in complete harmony. Realizing the goals that have come to the unity of soul and consciousness, social adaptation come to light unnecessary. By neglecting friction and lack of agreement, people will become free from material dependence and freed from the responsibilities assigned by society.

The problem of the essence of man is key in the doctrine of the individual and his being. This is due to the fact that the disclosure of the essence is included in the definition of any object. Without this, it is impossible to talk about the functions, the meaning of the subject. Let's consider how it happens next.

Specific characteristics

Thinkers explained, defined their difference from animals. In doing so, they used different specific characteristics. Indeed, a person differs from an animal in different ways: flat nails, intellect, religion, smile, and so on. However, one interesting fact should be noted. They try to determine the essence of people not on the basis of themselves, but using those signs that distinguish them from the closest species. Meanwhile, in methodological terms, such a technique should be considered not entirely legitimate. This is explained by the fact that the essence of any object is established primarily by the immanent (internal) way of being of this object, its own laws of existence. In addition, not all characteristics of an individual can be considered significant.

Work

It acts as a specific substance underlying the historical development and existence of a person. Labor as shows modern science, is always carried out under the conditions general production... People cannot create anything and do work without entering indirectly or directly into relationships with other individuals. Improvement of general production and labor contributes to the expansion of the spheres of interaction.

Marx's position

The level at which an individual accumulates, masters and implements a complex of relationships reflects the essence of human development. In this regard, Marx's criticism of Feuerbach's ideas can be considered quite legitimate. The latter understood the person in the abstract. Marx said that the essence of the individual acts as a complex of relationships with others. In this case, we are talking about the entire set of interactions: past and present, ideological and material. Simply put, it is not limited exclusively to "economic" or "playing" or "reasonable". The individual is both productive, and cultural, and political, and moral, etc. at the same time. It accumulates, to one degree or another, the entire spectrum of relations. Due to this, in turn, it is realized.

Complexity of the category

Considering the essence of a person in life, attention should be paid to another aspect of the issue. The individual is the result of a historical process. Modern man did not appear out of nowhere, he became a consequence of the development of human history. At the same time, the individual is not only the result of relationships, but also their creator. It follows from this that a person acts simultaneously both as an object and as a subject of relations. Identity and unity are realized in it. There is a dialectical relationship between society and man. The individual is a microcosm. In it, society manifests itself at the micro level, and it, in turn, is a person within the framework of all his relations. The following conclusion can be drawn. When examined, the individual is assessed. He cannot be outside of it. Outside of activity, the individual does not become a person. In this sense, Aristotle is right. This thinker said that a being that is incapable of communicating is either God or an animal.

Being

Meanwhile, man is not reduced only to his essence. In its real manifestation, it is revealed in being. The essence of people is a general characteristic of the genus. The being of an individual is always isolated in concrete empirical expression. Existence is not limited to essence. It acts as the being of an integral subject in the variety of forms, properties, types of its manifestation. The nature and essence of man expressed in the unity of the three principles. The first has already been discussed above. It reflects. The second aspect is psychological. An integral third component is. If you exclude any of these factors, the individual himself will be destroyed. Holistic formation is associated with these key elements. The nature and essence of man- the result of the interaction of the natural inclinations of the individual, the environment and the inner I (will, aspirations, interests, etc.).

Existentialism

Being is as significant a matter as the essence of a person. In society there are many views on him. The approach within the framework of existentialism is of particular interest. In this teaching, being is interpreted in relation to transcendence. It involves going beyond the limits of the individually-real world. The finiteness of being is given. It is found in the fact that human existence is viewed from the perspective of mortality. Hence the conclusion about the individuality of being. People, although living together, die alone. In existentialism, the individual and the association are seen as opposites. They are always in irreconcilable conflict. Man is a personality, the association of individuals is impersonality. The authenticity of being is associated with the individual. This plan considers essence of human freedom... It manifests itself in the striving for transcendence. Genuine being is the desire to establish itself in society. It manifests itself, among other things, in the desire to adopt existing laws. In this sense the essence of a person's personality and his true being becomes incompatible. Sartre spoke about their relationship. He pointed out that the essence is preceded by existence. Only in the face of death is it revealed what is genuine in the individual and what is not.

Another approach

Meanwhile, a number of authors do not agree with the position of existentialists who say that a person in himself is "nothing", an absolute inner freedom... In reality, the individual is always "something." On the other hand, he is improving in a certain environment. She, in turn, imposes restrictions on him. Accordingly, considering the essence of the concept "person", it should be said that his individual being is impossible outside the system of relations. As well as the essence of the individual is absent outside of his being. From this it follows that it is necessary to speak not about the priority of categories, but about dialectics. One can talk about the inextricable connection, the unity of existence and essence The latter is formed in the course of being and is constantly present in it. Being itself is therefore always significant. One of the famous existentialists Camus came to this conclusion. In his "Rebellious Man" he rejects Sartre's thesis. Camus puts forward the opposite idea. He says that that the essence is initially present in existence in the form of a "seed", and not as a "fruit" that came from nowhere.

Features of the ratios

The philosophical essence of man, as mentioned above, consists of three components. Moreover, all the elements not only interact, but also relate to each other in a certain way. This combination is of particular interest. It manifests itself in neuro-cerebral, electrochemical, morphophysiological processes. Man cannot exist regardless of biological nature. He is not able to stop drinking, eating, getting out of the bodily shell, etc. The natural and the social are in an indissoluble unity. Its sides are the organism and individuality. The first is the natural basis of a person, and personality is a quality associated with essence.

Inheritance

In terms of his biological essence, each person is determined by a certain genotype - a complex of genes that are passed on from their parents. At birth, the individual receives heredity. In the form of inclinations, it is encrypted in the genes. The inclinations affect the physical, external data - skin color, height, face shape, voice, etc. In addition, they also determine mental qualities - temperament, emotions, some character traits, etc. Scientists believe that it is inherited to some extent and giftedness - a penchant for certain sciences, art, and so on. Meanwhile, one should not talk only about the natural conditioning of abilities. The inclinations appear only as their prerequisites. They cannot be reduced to genotype. Abilities are conditioned by the unity of 3 factors, which have already been cited above.

Extremes

They must be avoided by considering. One should not take the position of absolutizing this or that factor. If the social component becomes a priority, then the person will appear as an absolute result of the environment. In this case, external conditions, as on a "blank board", will describe all the stages that the individual will go through. Supporters of this approach make not only the essence, but also the entire existence of a person dependent on the social environment. At one time it was on this position that the people who fought against the "bourgeois" science of genetics stood. The second approach involves the "biologization" of a person. Its supporters promote various racist theories, which proclaim the superiority of one nation over others. The inconsistency of the concepts is due to the fact that the uniqueness of the genotype is expressed at the individual, and not at any other level. Representatives of social Darwinism took a biologizing position, explaining human life on the basis of natural selection.

Genetic-cultural co-evolution

This is a modern approach to the question of the relationship between external and internal aspects the individual. Sociobiologists believe that the processes of genetic (organic) and cultural evolution go together. They work closely together. However, genes still play a priority role. They act as the ultimate causes of many actions. In this regard, a person is an object of biological study. Thoughts on this matter were expressed in his works by Wilson. He believes that the task of sociobiology is to study the natural foundations of all forms of behavior in all animals, including humans. The key provisions of the concept are reduced to the fact that an individual cannot have "transcendental" goals that appear outside his body.

Nuances of theory

Meanwhile, it is not entirely correct to interpret the behavior and evolution of an individual in predominantly biological terms. The natural and external aspects, as noted above, are closely interrelated. An infant who falls into animal conditions, even if it survives in a physical sense, will not become human. To do this, he needs to go through certain stages of adaptation. In this regard, the statement that the child acts only as a candidate for a person can be considered correct. He cannot become one in isolation. The child needs to learn to be human in the process of communication with other individuals.

Needs

Outside the social environment, the natural aspect alone does not make a person a person. Moreover, one more important fact should be noted. The natural aspect is realized and satisfied in social aspect... Speech, in particular, about the satisfaction of various needs: procreation, drinking, food, etc. It is worth noting, however, that such a "humanization" of nature does not always mean ennobling in practice. Unlike an animal, a single individual can satisfy needs in a rather perverted form. Accordingly, society as a whole can negatively affect the environment. This impact is not just a fact today. It acts as a global problem, and its solution is associated with human survival.

Anthropological rationalism

This concept is enough long time was a priority. The individual and his motivation were viewed solely as an expression of the conscious aspect. This approach is reflected in the well-known Cartesian thesis "I think, therefore I am". The individual from this position was considered only "reasonable". Beginning with the New Age, the unconscious gradually came to the fore in philosophical anthropology. Such famous thinkers as Kant, Kierkegaard, Leibniz, Schopenhauer, Hartmann, Nietzsche analyze from various angles the meaning and role of mental processes that are not realized by the individual.

Freud's concept

This thinker opened a whole direction in the field of philosophical anthropology. Freud identified the unconscious as a key factor in human existence and measurement. He presented it as a powerful force opposing the conscious. Within the framework of his concept, Freud divides the psyche into 3 layers. The lowest and most powerful is "IT". It can be compared to the part of an iceberg under water. Various natural passions and inclinations are concentrated in "IT", sexual nature first of all. This layer is followed by "I". It is presented as a relatively small layer of the conscious. Next comes the "Super I". It contains norms and ideals, moral censorship, the sphere of obligation. The human "I", according to Freud, is constantly forced to be torn between the condemned unconscious motives of "IT" and the moral and cultural censorship of the "Above I". It follows from this that consciousness cannot be called the master of its home. The sphere "IT" is completely subordinate to the principle of pleasure and pleasure. It has a decisive influence on actions, feelings, thoughts. Man is primarily a being driven by sexual energy and aspiration.

"Aggravating circumstances"

According to Freud, the drama of being is aggravated by the fact that among the unconscious drives there is an innate tendency to aggression and destruction. It is expressed in the "death instinct", which is opposed to the "life instinct". Thus, the internal environment of the individual is, among other things, her and the arena of the struggle between the two drives. Thanatos and Eros are viewed by Freud as the 2 most powerful forces that determine the behavior of an individual. A person, thus, turns out to be woven from a multitude of contradictions between natural drives, conscious norms, the unconscious and conscious, the instincts of death and life. Ultimately, however, the desire to satisfy base needs is decisive for Freud. Man is primarily an erotic being.

Jung's theory

The question of the unconscious has interested many scientists. One of them was the Swiss psychiatrist Jung. He, however, opposed the view of man as an erotic being. Jung tried to differentiate more deeply the "IT" deduced by Freud. In addition to the "individual unconscious", he also singled out the "public". The latter is a reflection of the experience of previous generations. The content of this collective unconscious is formed by universal human prototypes - archetypes * folk hero, Motherland, hero, etc.). Their complex forms the experience of previous generations, which is passed on to the young. Archetypes form the basis of myths, symbolism, dreams, artistic creation. The core of the personality is formed by the unity of the collective and individual unconscious. but key value has nevertheless the first. Thus, according to Jung, man is primarily an archetypal being.

More ideas

Many followers of Freud developed his theory of the conscious and unconscious. They clarified the teaching, made adjustments. For example, Adler criticized Freud's idea of ​​exaggerating the erotic, natural side of man. He believed that being is connected with other spheres. Adler said that man is also a social being. His behavior is also associated with conscious interests. Fromm criticized Freud's concept of the antagonism between culture and the essence of man. He admitted that his position does not give priority to any one factor. As one of the key prerequisites for human development, Fromm calls a contradiction that comes from a dual nature. The individual is part of the environment and at the same time he is endowed with reason. Fromm called this contradiction "existential dichotomy." It is due to the fact that due to the lack of strong instincts that help animals, the individual is forced to solve various problems, guided by consciousness. At the same time, the results are far from always productive. This, in turn, is worrying and distressing. Accordingly, the price a person pays for being conscious is uncertainty.

conclusions

If we evaluate the role of the unconscious in the theory of followers, it is worth noting that the direct posing of the question is the merit of Freud. Consideration of man and his existence through the relationship between the conscious and the unconscious introduced new elements into the philosophical interpretation of the issue. At the same time, the concept notes a clear absolutization of the meaning of the unconscious. The evolution of Freudianism, meanwhile, indicates that the representatives of psychoanalysis sought to deviate from the original concept. They tended more to recognize the importance of consciousness and the impact of social conditions on the formation of the individual. In particular, according to Fromm, the era associated with the formation of market relations gives rise to a new person with different qualities. The individual perceives everything as a commodity. This applies not only to things, but also to the person, her physical energy, knowledge, skills, feelings, abilities. The main goal of a person with a market character is to make a profitable deal. An alternative to this should be conditions in which the being of the individual comes to the fore.

Conclusion

The development of the problem of the unconscious had a significant impact on the study of individual and collective consciousness, dividing the human psyche into two aspects. Here it should be said about the term "mentality" which is widespread today. It is understood as a deep level of collective and individual consciousness, which includes the unconscious aspect. The mentality contains a complex of attitudes, the predisposition of an individual or a group to perceive, think, perform behavioral acts in a specific way. If we talk about personality, then mentality is formed on the basis of traditions, environment, culture, while exerting a direct influence on them.