THE METHODOLOGICAL BASIS OF EXPLORATION OF THE BYZANTINE AESTHETICS OF THE ASCETICISM

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THE METHODOLOGICAL BASIS OF EXPLORATION OF THE BYZANTINE AESTHETICS OF THE ASCETICISM

Journal Title: Філософські обрії - Year 2016, Vol 0, Issue 36

Abstract

The futher study of history of the aesthetical traditions represents one of the most important tasks of the modern philosophical and aesthetical discourse. It goes without saying that the adequate understanding of the aesthetical doctrines of the medieval Europe as well as of the Rus’-Ukraina in particular is impossible without taking into consideration the specific features of the Byzantine aesthetics. This evident fact proves the actuality of the intensive exploration of the aesthetical tradition of Byzantium – the state, which existed in the IV-XVth centuries. The aim of this article is to point out some important methodological principles of exploration of the Byzantine aesthetics. Using the scientific methods of generalization and systematization, the author tries to draw attention to the necessity of the thorough hermeneutical analysis of the Byzantine culture as of the reliable method of the modern historical and aesthetical byzantology. As an inseparable part of the modern historical and aesthetical medievistics the historical and aesthetical byzantology must point out the aesthical dimension of the Byzantine culture with taking into consideration its implicit character. The medieval aesthetical thought exists in very strong and quite natural connection with the sphere of religious ideas. Moreover, the cultural traditions of Byzantium have especially strong religious character. According to A. Tsarenok’s oppinion, the scientists, who study the Byzantine aesthetics, first of all should pay attention to the peculiarities of the Orthodox theological discourse and analyse the works by such Byzantine preachers and ascetics as sts. Antoniy the Great, Afanasiy the Great, Vasiliy the Great, Grigoriy the Theologian, Grigoriy, the bishop of Niss, Ioan Chrysostom, Ioan Lestvicnik, Ioan Damaskin, Grigoriy Palama and others. Some important aspects of the Byzantine aesthetics are not explored enough. Among them we find the problem of the Byzantine aesthetics of the asceticism, which influences the asthetical traditions of the whole Christian East. Reviewing the studies on the asceticism, A. Tsarenok underlines the obvious value of famous philosopher V. Bychkov’s exploration of the aesthetical doctrines of Byzantium and of the aesthetics of the asceticism in particular. At the same time, the author of the article tries to prove that V. Bychkov makes a mistake, conventionally characterizing as the aesthetics of the asceticism only the doctrine accepted by the Byzantine monks. Moreover, according to A. Tsarenok’s oppinion, it is methodologically incorrect not to identify the Orthodox ascetic and aesthetical tradition with the aesthetics of the patristic doctrine: at least the vast majority of represants of the latter (e. g. st. Vasiliy the Great, st. Grigoriy, bishop of Niss) are the true champions of the asceticism. The corresponding approaches represent the adequate and the reliable methodological principles for the modern historical and aesthetical byzantology.

Authors and Affiliations

Андрій Вікторович ЦАРЕНОК

Keywords

EP ID EP496885
DOI -
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