Filosofiya osvity. Philosophy of Education

Activities of the Hryhorii Skovoroda Institute at the H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University (2015–2025)

2026-04-19T20:37:48+03:00

The analytical review is devoted to the analysis of the status, purpose, history and main achievements of the Hryhorii Skovoroda Educational and Scientific Institute at the H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University. The main actors involved in the functioning of this Institute are noted.

Philosophy of education between exclusion, resonance, taste and artificial intelligence.

2026-04-19T21:04:30+03:00

The information review is devoted to the analysis of key ideas and conceptual approaches presented by researchers at the 11th Congress of the B. F. Trentowski Society of Philosophical Pedagogy “Philosophical Journeys in Pedagogy”, which took place on October 24–25, 2025 at the University of Warsaw. The speakers focused on the issues of the meaning of education, the crisis of the classical education system, the transformation of the concepts of freedom and responsibility in the research field of the philosophy of education, the problems of acceleration, inclusion, resonance, normativity of pedagogy, as well as the impact of artificial intelligence on educational practices. In scientific research, education is understood as a long and holistic process of human formation, which cannot be reduced to short-term results or individual choices without responsibility. Researchers focused on the need to return pedagogy to its philosophical and ethical foundations, a critical analysis of hidden norms and structures in education, as well as the existential dimension of education related to loneliness, memory, and the meaning of life.

Philosophical and Educational Studies 2025: to the World Philosophy Day.

2026-04-19T21:26:02+03:00

The review is dedicated to the II International Scientific and Practical Conference “Philosophical and Educational Studies”, which took place on November 20–21, 2025 on World Philosophy Day at the relocated Kherson National Technical University (Kherson, Khmelnytskyi) for the period of Russian-Ukrainian. The purpose of this scientific event was to understand the strategic mission of the philosophy of education in the realities of Ukraine, modern features of communication and interaction, humanization and humanitarianization of higher technical education, as well as the modern world educational space. The conference strengthened the role of philosophical reflection in the educational process and created a platform for further educational research and international projects.

Metaphorics and Symbolism of Political Borders in the Strategy of National-Patriotic and Civic Education in Ukraine

2026-04-16T22:46:52+03:00

Relevance. The topic of this research is the analysis of the metaphors and symbolism of political borders in the context of the formation of Ukrainian national and civic identity, as well as to revealing their potential for improving contemporary state policies and educational practices of national-patriotic upbringing. The purpose of the article is to clarify the specifics and socio-cultural dynamics of the ethno-national existence of the Ukrainian people, in particular, to determine the role of metaphors and symbols in the process of social transformation and cultural transformations of Ukrainian society. Methods. Particular attention is paid to clarifying the content of the concept of political borders and to the ways it is interpreted metaphorically and symbolically through the lens of philosophical anthropology and the philosophy of education. It is demonstrated that political borders, as a socio-political, cultural and anthropological phenomenon, constitute a multidimensional and multimodal concept that operates simultaneously in several modes: territorial, legal, cultural, technological, communicative and symbolic, which requires a comprehensive philosophical analysis. Novelty. The main focus is placed on the study of the perceptual modality of this concept, which makes it possible to analyze the lived experience of the deep emotional and imaginative understanding of the political border through the metaphors and symbols created by the Ukrainian people over a long period of becoming aware of their national identity. The article substantiates the thesis that the concept of political borders can be defined as a complex metaphorical and symbolic structure that shapes models of collective memory, ideas about national specificity, and ways of accumulating the experience of the Other. Using Slobozhanshchyna as an example, it is also shown that the activation of the concept of “öffentliche Bildung” (public education) in military-patriotic upbringing practices is of particular importance for the formation of a nationally conscious and responsible citizen. Conclusion. The article argues for the necessity of a humanistic rethinking of the symbolic and metaphorical dimension of the concept of political borders and for its inclusion in strategic policy documents in the field of forming civic and national identity. The metaphoricity of the border is presented as an effective linguo-personological communicative form that provides an emotional and cognitive basis for integrating abstract knowledge with practical experience in the educational-upbringing process.

Ukrainian Higher Education as a Peripheral Laboratory of Neoliberal Transformation: an Ontology of Blandness vs/and Epistemology of Blindness

2026-04-16T23:38:11+03:00

Relevance. This article provides a philosophical and sociological analysis of the transformation of the Ukrainian higher education system, which the authors view as a “peripheral laboratory” of global neoliberal reforms. The purpose of this article is to carry out a philosophical and sociological analysis of Ukrainian higher education as a “peripheral laboratory” in order to reveal the ontological essence of its transformation and the epistemological limitations of its understanding. Methods. Using a world-systems approach, the authors argue that the weakening of traditional institutions in the Ukrainian context has allowed the logic of the market, managerialism, and commodification to materialize in its most radical, “ideal-typical” form. This, according to article, makes Ukraine not a case of backwardness, but rather a leading model of crisis, revealing the possible future of the university on a global scale. Novelty. The article argues that the ontological essence of the crisis lies in the substitution of the essence of education (Bildung) for the production of simulacra. This process is revealed through the metaphor of educational “European-style renovation” – the imposition of new managerial surfaces on the old foundation without genuine transformation. Drawing on J. Baudrillard’s theory, the authors demonstrate how key elements of the system – diplomas, metrics, accreditation reports – become simulacra, signs divorced from the referents of real knowledge and competence, circulating in a self-sufficient hyperreality. Hyperreality is analyzed as a reality generated by models, no longer connected to any original, where the map precedes the territory. Conclusion. At the epistemological level, the authors identify a systemic trap: the very language of description and critique of education is occupied by managerial discourse (“service”, “KPI”, “stakeholder”, “efficiency”). This makes it virtually impossible to formulate alternatives in categories that go beyond the neoliberal paradigm. The conclusion argues that studying the Ukrainian case is a central task for global critical theory, as this “laboratory” reveals with alarming clarity the anthropological risks of the ultimate victory of simulacrum over essence in the sphere of knowledge production and the human subject.

The Plurality of Embodiments of the Modern State Mod¬el: A Philosophical Understanding of Legal Conflicts

2026-04-17T10:10:15+03:00

Relevance. It is revealed that the improvement of the state on the basis of its rational modernization not only retains its social relevance, but also acquires new scientific significance. It is specified that the modern state is one of the most influential achievements of social modernization, but at the same time it is also a powerful means of strengthening the subsequent modernization changes of society. The purpose of this article is to clarify the philosophical grounds for removing legal conflicts in the typology of modern states. Methods. As classical philosophical theories of modernization that can be applied to build a model of the modern state, the approaches of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber, who had a basic legal education and gave legal factors of paramount importance in building a social order, are considered. The appeal to the concept of multiple identity of Shmoel Eisenstadt opened the prospect of taking into account multiple ways of achieving the functional tasks of the modern state. The use of systemic social theories of Talcott Parsons and Niklas Luhmann showed the interrelation of the main functions of the modern state. The neo-institutional approach provided an opportunity to trace specific organizational embodiments of the modern state in the regime of sociological enlightenment. Novelty. It has been found that legal clarification of the possibilities of functional improvement of each modern state opens up prospects not only for removing contradictions in the interpretation of legal norms by legal specialists, but also is an important component of the democratic education of each of its citizens. Conclusion. The rational principles of the legitimation of the modern state are emphasized, which consist in the rationalization of politics and the legal substantiation of the statehood. The philosophical and educational grounds for the rational legitimation of national historical embodiments of the modern state are considered.

Metaphysical Foundations of War in the Philosophy of Heraclitus of Ephesus

2026-04-17T10:41:39+03:00

Relevance. The article presents a philosophical-ontological analysis of the concept of war through the lens of the thought of Heraclitus of Ephesus. It is shown that, despite the fragmentary nature of the sources and the polyvalence of his sayings, his doctrine articulates an original ontological model in which war and conflict appear not as historical contingencies but as fundamental principles of worldly being. The purpose of this study is to draw attention to the fact that Heraclitus himself brought to the surface of his philosophical doctrine of war. Methods. The study demonstrates that the key idea of Heraclitus’s philosophy – the struggle of opposites, which determines the structure and dynamics of the world-opens the possibility of interpreting war as a universal ontological law. Heraclitus asserts that it is precisely the tension between opposing principles that gives rise to order, harmony, and motion. Such an interpretation goes far beyond the traditional historical or moral analysis of war, granting it the status of a cosmic principle of becoming. Novelty. The research further shows that this ontological perspective radically transforms the view of history. Rather than treating historical conflicts as deviations or malfunctions within the world order, Heraclitus’s model regards them as lawful manifestations of ontological dynamics, where destruction serves as the precondition for the emergence of the new. Thus, struggle appears not as an anomaly but as a necessary condition of the ontological process. Conclusion. It is demonstrated that ancient philosophy, despite its temporal distance, retains the capacity to illuminate contemporary socio-historical processes at the level of the fundamental structures of being. Heraclitus’s conception of conflict as a universal principle offers an alternative to the psychological, political, or ethical models of war analysis prevalent today, redirecting philosophical attention to the deeper mechanisms of the world’s becoming. It is precisely Heraclitus’s ontology of struggle that offers a return to the original task of philosophy – the comprehension of being as such – and makes it possible to see in conflict not only the tragedy of human history but also its necessity.

Human in the Shadow of Algorithm in thе Context of Philosophy of Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

2026-04-17T11:12:18+03:00

Relevance. The article examines the influence of artificial intelligence on contemporary education and the role of the human being within conditions of algorithm-driven learning. The purpose of the article is to clarify the conceptual balance between technology and humanity, between algorithm and thinking. Methods. It analyzes the philosophical foundations of autonomous thinking, the ethical challenges, and the risks of losing critical capacities in the process of interacting with technology. The study substantiates the need to combine human mentorship with technological tools in order to preserve the humanistic dimension of education, where artificial intelligence is regarded as a means of expanding human capabilities. Novelty. It emphasizes the boundaries between technological efficiency and the autonomy of human thought, as well as the ethical principles guiding AI integration into the educational process. The concept of the “human in the shadow of the algorithm” is conceptualized within the framework of the philosophy of education. Education is presented not merely as a space for knowledge transmission, but as a domain for cultivating critical, moral, and creative thinking that resists the risks of algorithmization. The article analyzes classical and contemporary approaches to the philosophy of education–from Socrates and Immanuel Kant to Jürgen Habermas and Martha Nussbaum–and reveals the dangers of algorithmic learning, which may diminish autonomy and critical reflection. Real case studies demonstrate how algorithms can reproduce social inequality, discrimination, or distort pedagogical assessment. At the same time, it is shown that, with ethical application, AI can serve as a catalyst for a new quality of education grounded in dialogue, empathy, and cooperation. Conclusion. Education must remain a space for human thought, where technology serves the human being rather than the reverse. AI should be an opportunity, not a threat–an instrument that supports the teacher but does not displace their role as mentor. The future of education in the age of AI lies in the responsible integration of technology that preserves freedom of mind, ethical awareness, and the creative nature of the human being.

System of criteria for comparing higher education institutions based on statistical data from world rankings and university reports

2026-04-17T12:07:58+03:00

Relevance. The article gives (in the first approximation) a university comparing criteria system based on statistics from world rankings and universities’ official sites. The mentioned system was approbed for comparison of Wuhan University (PRC) and Kharkiv National University named after V.N. Karazin (Ukraine). The purpose of the article is to select, organize and interpret the criteria for comparing higher education institutions using the example of one of the leading Ukrainian universities and one of the leading universities from the socialist education system, which is successfully integrating into the global educational space, while simultaneously highlighting the features of its core activities for scientific and 103

statistical purposes. Methods. The system of criteria is collected in several groups that combine homogeneous criteria, in particular: image, educational, human, scientific, administrative, and organizational criteria. Novelty. It is shown that the proposed system of criteria (taking into account new criteria substantiated by the authors) allows for a more comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of higher education institutions in various areas of their activity (both in quantitative and qualitative dimensions). The results of the comparison well-based show the effectiveness of educational, scientific, administrative and other activities of the compared universities (for example, the university from China top-10 ten is better than the one from Ukrainian top-5). Conclusion. Due to the heterogeneity of a large volume of data, it is advisable to perform appropriate monitoring using machine learning tools to consolidate information. The results of such analyses can be useful in programs and strategies for the development of Ukrainian universities, because prestige in the modern world has a real basis in the form of purposeful activity.

Restructuring of Values in the Age of Global Civilizational Transformation

2026-04-17T12:28:25+03:00

Relevance. The modern global military-political confrontation between democracy and totalitarianism is taking place in conditions of epochal civilizational transformation and restructuring of the basic strategic values of man and society. In modern everyday life, the importance of values is growing, as a person constantly appeals to them in his own actions, just as in previous times he appealed to God. The purpose of the article is to clarify the main characteristics of values in a modern globalized society and the way they influence its development. Methods. In this study, values are interpreted as a practical generalization of a set of assessments of life situations in which it is necessary to make one or another choice, and are perceived as normative guidelines, which raises the question of the ontological nature of values. Novelty. Basic values are produced spontaneously or consciously in the process of activity as appropriate strategies, similar to how artificial intelligence produces strategies based on a database and information coming from outside. Values motivate a person to action and have a programming influence on interpersonal relationships and the structure of society. Conclusion. In the process of epochal civilizational transformation, the values of human and societal survival come to the fore and the problem of actualizing existing and inventing new development resources necessary for this is becoming more acute. Philosophy, generalizing the historical and philosophical experience of its development, becomes a metaphilosophy, which, in contact with other spheres of activity, contributes to the understanding and formulation of new values produced by the social system in changed historical circumstances. A democratic society in the face of changing world order and threats to the ecological and military-political order must overcome the habit of consumer experimentation and consolidate based on a new value strategy.

The Role of Economic Education in Shaping the Informa¬tional Potential of National Economic Policy

2026-04-17T12:49:51+03:00

Relevance. This article examines the role of economic education as a key element in shaping the informational potential of a country’s economic policy in the context of digital transformation. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the role and importance of economic education as a key factor in the formation of information support for state economic policy in the context of digital transformation. Methods. Two components of economic education – civic and professional – are analyzed with a focus on their influence on economic awareness, competence, and individual behavior. Novelty. It is emphasized that the development of economic literacy and analytical thinking skills begins in school, while professional economic education becomes a decisive factor in training specialists to implement effective economic policy. The transformation of educational requirements in the digital economy is considered, including the need to integrate disciplines such as data science, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics. The article substantiates the need to modernize educational programs, emphasize practical training, develop partnerships with business, and form a new educational paradigm based on the model «knowledge – abilities – skills – experience – competence». Conclusion. Special attention is paid to the role of information as a strategic resource in the digital economy, particularly in analysis, forecasting, decision-making, and evaluating the effectiveness of economic policy. The article highlights the necessity of developing digital infrastructure, data exchange standards, information transparency, and training a new generation of professionals capable of operating in a dynamic economy while ensuring Ukraine’s competitiveness and integration into the global economic space.

Reconstructing Nigeria’s educational ideals: a philosophical blueprint for sustainable policy reform

2026-04-17T13:16:36+03:00

Relevance. Nigeria’s education system, once envisioned as a transformative tool for national development, has suffered persistent policy inconsistencies, underfunding, and ideological disorientation. Despite successive reforms – ranging from the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme of 1999 to the current National Policy on Education (NPE, 2013), the nation continues to witness low literacy rates, infrastructural decay, and declining moral standards. The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the philosophical roots of Nigeria’s educational crises and proposes a reconstructive framework anchored on indigenous humanism, ethical reorientation, and epistemic relevance. Methods. Employing the method of critical and conceptual analysis, the study explores how the disjunct between Nigeria’s educational ideals and its socio-cultural realities fosters a cyclical paradox. Novelty. Findings reveal that Nigeria’s educational vision remains largely derivative, imported, and detached from local epistemologies. The study reconstructs the normative foundations of education by integrating African communitarian ethics with Deweyan pragmatism, thereby outlining a blueprint for sustainable reform. Conclusion. The paper advocates a reconstruction that emphasises education for moral character, civic responsibility, and productive self-reliance rather than mere credentialism. The study concludes that without a philosophically grounded educational ideal – rooted in African humanism and practical rationality – Nigeria’s reforms will remain cyclical and ineffective. It recommends a triadic reform approach: reorientation of educational purpose, realignment of policy with indigenous values, and restoration of philosophy as the moral compass of educational design.

On the Problem of Truth and Certainty in Epistemology: a Conceptual Consideration

2026-04-17T13:56:22+03:00

Relevance. The two central and interrelated issues in epistemology are the problem of truth and the problem of certainty. These have occupied the interest of philosophical debate whether human beings can know anything with absolute certainty and what it means for a belief or statement to be true. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the problem of possibility of truth and certainty as the challenges of epistemic justification in the contemporary epistemology. Methods. The ultimate level of knowledge is certainty, which demonstrates that a claim is epistemic true and significant if it is free from error. It is asserted that a propositional claim has a real, justified epistemic characteristic if it can be proven to be true. In this view, certainty is frequently explained in terms of undeniable truth, as in Descartes’ formulation of “I think therefore I am”. Empiricists Locke and Hume argue that knowledge comes from sensory experience which is fallible. Kant buttressed further that our knowledge begins with experience; it is structured by the mind’s a priori categories. He submitted that certainty exists in the realm of phenomena (what appears to us), not noumena (things-in-themselves). In the contemporary perspective, according to Popper, all human knowledge is subject to error and revision and what counts as certain depends on the context of inquiry. Novelty. If people are motivated by truth solely for its own sake, then this argues that any further goals for which they might desire truth must be outside the realm of epistemology. Conclusion. The challenge in epistemology is reconciling subjective conviction with objective truth. Therefore, the most important pillars required for proving the cogency of a knowledge claim in an epistemic justification as truth and certainty.

On the problem of distinguishing the terms “logical fallacy” and “cognitive bias” in the context of critical thinking

2026-04-18T01:01:10+03:00

Relevance. The article is devoted to the clarification of terminology and to a comparative analysis of logical fallacies and cognitive biases in the context of critical thinking, which is intended to compensate for the limitations of human rationality in decision-making. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to refine and systematize the terminology used within the framework of critical thinking, in particular the concepts of logical fallacies, cognitive biases, and cognitive distortions. Methods. The methodological framework of the study is based on logical methods of analyzing the content and structure of concepts, as well as a comparative approach to examining the terms under consideration. Novelty. A distinction is drawn between cognitive biases as the result of heuristic processing in situations of uncertainty and cognitive distortions, which have an affective nature and manifest themselves as tendencies to negatively interpret experience. It is established that logical fallacies and cognitive biases are similar in their “appearance of correctness” and in their status as deviations from normative standards of rationality; however, they differ in the level of manifestation, the degree of linguistic expression, and the role of intention (the possible intentional use of logical fallacies versus the predominantly unconscious nature of cognitive biases). The article also substantiates the expediency of using the general concept of cognitive errors as a generic category for constructing a classification of heuristics, cognitive biases, and cognitive distortions, and outlines prospects for further research aimed at comparing specific types of logical and cognitive errors. Conclusion. The article presents a comparative analysis of logical fallacies and cognitive biases within the context of critical thinking. The following tasks are accomplished: the content of formal and informal logical fallacies is examined; the term cognitive biases is clarified and the reasons for its terminological ambiguity are outlined; the common and distinctive features of logical fallacies and cognitive biases are identified.

The Scientific Ontology of Nikolai Hartmann versus the Existentialism of Martin Heidegger

2026-04-18T01:24:23+03:00

Relevance. The article presents a critical analysis of Martin Heidegger’s ontology through the lens of another outstanding ontologist, Nicolai Hartmann. The purpose of the study is to identify the fundamental differences between Heidegger’s and Hartmann’s understanding of the theory of being, as well as to demonstrate that Hartmann’s critical ontology not only refutes Heidegger’s main propositions, but also offers a more consistent solution to ontological problems. Methods. The paper exposes the historicism of Heidegger’s philosophical position, which relies more on the spirit of the time and the disposition of the societal mind than on the objective structures and modes of being on which, in contrast to Heidegger, Hartmann grounds his ontological reflections. Hartmann’s critical ontology thus emerges as an alternative to existential subjectivism and the philosophical trend of anthropologizing the world; at the same time, Hartmann’s perspective represents an attempt to return philosophy to its original task – the contemplation of being as such, rather than the human experiences concerning it. Novelty. This study demonstrates how Hartmann’s realism overcomes this trap by shifting the philosophical focus from consciousness to being itself. Particular attention is paid to Hartmann’s critique of Heidegger’s concept of “fear” as an ontological principle, which, in Hartmann’s view, turns existential analytics into a psychological mystification. Conclusion. The research examines how Heidegger’s attempt to reduce ontology to the analysis of Dasein effectively reinstates the idealist stance that Hartmann calls the “correlativist prejudice.” It also reveals that ontological intention of Heidegger’s thought is profoundly contradictory and speculative due to the arbitrary use of philosophical categories and the introduction of the subjectivist concept of Dasein’s existentials. As a result, Heidegger’s ontology acquires distinctly correlativist features that align it with the idealist tradition, which conceives the being of the surrounding world as conditioned by the subject.

Escape from Empire: Contemporary Female Artists from Ukraine and the Problem of Identity

2026-04-18T12:09:38+03:00

Relevance. The article explores how the question of individual and collective identity shapes the reception of contemporary Ukrainian art in the global field. The purpose of this article is to analyze the work of Ukrainian female artists based on the problem of identification and identity, as well as the problematization of the possibility of “being Ukrainian” or “being from Ukraine” within the framework of the postcolonial situation and decolonial analysis, applying the concepts of hybridity and borderland and mimicry. Methods. The study shows how the imperial infrastructure of the USSR directed professional biographies from the Ukrainian SSR to Moscow, turning Ukraine into a “province” and complicating artists’ self-identification within international discourse. Drawing on interviews, exhibition histories, and museum politics, the article traces ambivalent labeling regimes-“Soviet,” “Russian,” “Ukrainian,” “ex-Soviet” – and their impact on canon formation. Novelty. Hybridity is read not as a loss of belonging but as an operative category revealing local sources of subjectivity. In this sense, Boris Mikhailov’s Kharkiv and Yurii Leiderman’s Odesa appear as strong urban loci, where community, memory, and language generate alternative axes of identification beyond the imperial center. Conversely, the strategies of Ilya and Emilia Kabakov and Igor and Svetlana Kopystiansky illustrate two modes of “escape from empire”: transcendence through a cosmopolitan utopia of art and assimilation within Western institutional landscapes, both of which complicate national attribution. Conclusion. The article argues that the question “who is who?” cannot be reduced to national or passport identity; identity here is a process of identification that unfolds through choices of institutions, networks, themes, and places of articulation. In wartime, this dynamic opens a “window of opportunity” to reposition Ukrainian artists within the global canon –through decolonial research, the reattribution of museum collections, and renewed attention to local histories that provide a basis for self-identification and recognition.

Discrimination against Women as a Manifestation of Social Inequality through the Lens of Feminist Critique

2026-04-18T13:03:25+03:00

Relevance. The article explores the problem of women’s discrimination through the lens of contemporary feminist philosophy. The author analyses the evolution of feminist thought from the first to the third wave, revealing how the understanding of social equality and freedom has changed within broader socio-cultural transformations. The purpose of this article is to focus on the theoretical aspects of the problem of women’s discrimination from the perspective of feminist criticism, to show its origins and transformation in different versions of feminism, and to highlight the problem of intersectionality of different forms of discrimination, including in the educational space. Methods. Particular attention is devoted to the transition from liberal feminism – focused on legal equality and civil liberties, and rooted in the philosophical ideas of John Stuart Mill – to Marxist and psychoanalytic approaches, which interpret women’s oppression because of structural inequality, economic exploitation, and symbolic domination. Through comparative analysis, it demonstrates that feminist critique of social inequality extends beyond a narrowly gendered discourse, transforming into a broader humanistic program of social emancipation aimed at constructing a just society. Novelty. Central to the discussion are the notions of the “universal female experience”, its critique within the framework of intersectionality, and the influence of cultural and economic factors on the formation of social roles (“sexual politics”). The article shows how contemporary feminist theory integrates the issues of gender and class inequality, emphasizing the multidimensional nature of discrimination. Conclusion. It is underlined that overcoming social inequality is possible only through an inclusive model of society that ensures equal access to education, employment, and political participation regardless of gender, class, race, nationality, or religion. The paper highlights the prospects of “engaged pedagogy”, which seeks not only to defend women’s rights but also to affirm the principles of social justice and human dignity.

Between moral theories and medical reality: a conversation with Torbjörn Tännsjö on the ethics of life, death, and justice

2026-04-19T01:06:03+03:00

This interview explores the relationship between moral theory and medical reality through an in-depth conversation with Torbjörn Tännsjö, one of the most influential contemporary utilitarian philosophers. Moving between normative ethics and concrete bioethical challenges, the dialogue addresses healthcare priority setting, triage in pandemics and war, euthanasia, disability, distributive justice, and global existential threats. Central attention is given to Tännsjö’s methodological approach – described as “applied ethics turned upside down” – which relies on considered moral intuitions tested through crucial thought experiments and subjected to cognitive psychotherapy. The interview examines the practical relevance and limits of philosophical abstraction in real clinical contexts, particularly under conditions of scarcity, uncertainty, and moral distress. Special emphasis is placed on overlapping consensus among competing moral theories, the role of counterfactual reasoning in utilitarianism, and the ethical implications of aging, mental illness, and end-of-life decisions. Situating these discussions against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic and russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the conversation highlights how extreme circumstances expose latent ethical assumptions embedded in healthcare systems. The interview concludes by reflecting on the place of bioethics as applied ethics, its educational mission, and its capacity to inform morally responsible decision-making without claiming privileged principles of its own.

The Improbability of Communication

2026-04-18T13:16:47+03:00

A new translation into Ukrainian of a classic article by the outstanding German sociologist and philosopher, the world-famous author of the original theory of social systems, Niklas Luhmann. The authors of the translation, Mykhailo Boichenko and Oleksandr Korol, have carefully revised the translation of both Niklas Luhmann’s basic terminology and the adequacy of the Ukrainian translation of the key provisions of Niklas Luhmann’s concept of the improbability of communication.

Learning theory from a constructivist perspective

2026-04-18T18:40:15+03:00

The lecture is dedicated to substantiating the constructivist paradigm in didactics as a necessary condition for the theoretical integrity of modern education. The lecture shows that pedagogy, deprived of an interdisciplinary foundation, loses its ability to explain the complexity of the learning process, since any educational concept is based on certain assumptions about the nature of cognition, thinking, language and communication. The philosophical origins of constructivism are examined – from ancient tradition to Kant and contemporary cognitive science – and it is emphasised that constructivism is not synonymous with relativism, but is based on intersubjectively shared structures of cognition. The lecture critically analyses the traditional, quasi-behaviourist model of education, which assumes the transparency and measurability of intellectual processes, reducing learning to externally controlled results. Instead, the constructivist approach is interpreted as a process of active construction of meaning, in which language, ideas, beliefs, and social mechanisms of interpretation play a key role. Sperber and Wilson’s relevance theory is considered an important tool for analysing the cognitive processes that accompany learning. Based on the concepts of Bruner, Glasersfeld and Klus-Stanska, the principles of the work of a constructivist teacher are outlined, who creates conditions for independent activity of students, the formation of hypotheses, conceptual restructuring and reflection. The lecture substantiates the need to form a coherent constructivist paradigm capable of integrating contemporary didactic discourse and ensuring the scientific explanatory power of educational theory.