Philosophy Lecture Webcast

Professor Olkhov, chair of the Institute of Social Science and Mass Communications' Department of Philosophy and Theology, is an expert in hermeneutics, epistemology, historicity, and the philosophy of science. He also advises the Practical Philosophy Studio, so it is fair to say that there is no-one better qualified to introduce you to the world of philosophy.

He started by talking about the origins of philosophy, and that it is among the most ancient of cognitive practices, continuing,
“Philosophy, however, is not stuck in history, it is also a modern form of human intellectual self-organisation. All knowledge, be it scientific, artistic, or religious, is philosophical in its foundation. A quality education begins as a philosophical project.”

He went on to address the semantics of the word 'philosophy', delving into the minutiae and peculiarities of this cognitive phenomenon, referring to other interpretations by various researchers and gave his definition of the concept of philosophy, while acknowledging the problems encountered with historicity and the versatility of the term. He rounded off the lecture with suggestions for further reading. You can find more lectures in Russian at #Лекторий@minprosvet