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studied the issues related to categories of "one", "true" and "good." He argued that
the concept of one is a measure of perfection, but true and good are a measure of
appreciation.
Appeal to a specifically culturological perspective became a characteristic
feature of the Ukrainian philosophical thought of the eighteenth century. Grigoryy
Skovoroda (1722-1794), undoubtedly, was the most prominent Ukrainian thinker
of his time. His philosophical views, including on cultural issues, are set out
primarily in treatises and dialogues. Skovoroda confessed the idea of "three
worlds": the macrocosm (the universe), the microcosm (man) and a special
symbolic reality that combines micro- and macrocosm and reproduces them in
perfect shape. Although the Skovoroda did not use the word "culture" (as we know
it appeared in Ukrainian vocabulary almost a century later), but the concept of his
ideal world is very close to the later cultural interpretations of world culture as a
space of meanings and values. According to Skovoroda, who was spirtually close
to Christianity, the most perfect example of ideal world is the Bible.
The Christian culture in the worldview of Skovoroda undoubtedly
dominated, but it was not alien to the ancient philosophy (especially Platonism).
Teaching of the "srodna" work by the Ukrainian philosopher ("srodna" according
to Skovoroda means best suitability of each individual to some activities, type of
work) had obvious parallels with oriental concepts of karma. He expressed the
conviction that a person becomes happy when he/she manages to discern his/her
genre, recognize his/her propensity to one or another kind of physical or spiritual
work. Actually, it is about the meaning of human self-knowledge in culture and its
self-realization in society. Skovoroda called to cognize oneslef and wrote, "We are
looking for happiness in countries, centuries, and it is always and everywhere with
us, like a fish in water, and we are in it, and it looks next to us ourselves. It looks
like a sunshine, reflected only at the entrance to your soul".
3. Culturological issues in the Ukrainian theoretical thought in the
ХІХth – beginning of the ХХth century
At the beginning of the XIXth century, Ukrainian thinkers, public figures
continued the tradition of national philosophical thought, which turned to the
knowledge of man and his world. A Ukrainian and Russian philosopher Peter
Lodyy (1764-1829) in his work "Logical Guides, Which Lead to the Knowledge
and Distinction of the True and False. Introduction to Philosophy as a Whole"
wrote, "...philosophy should be the sanctuary of a healthy mind and a reliable
benchmark for a happy life, it must be the formation of mind and heart".
The Ukrainian thought of the first half of the XIXth century was
characteristic of appeal to rationalism. Thus, Orest Novitsky, the first professor of
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