Filosofiya osvity. Philosophy of Education

Review of the five-volume edition of Vasyl Kremen's works "Education: Ideas. Reflections. Experience"

Mykhailo Boichenko — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

The review analyzes the main ideas of the philosophy of education, presented in the five-volume edition of the works of the President of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine Vasyl Hryhorovych Kremen “Education: Ideas. Reflections. Experience”. The sequence of historical development and the systemic nature of these ideas are revealed. This edition of the works is characterized as both a strategy for the development of the education system of Ukraine and a philosophical reflection on the achievements and difficulties of implementing this strategy.

“The Affirmative Action Empire” by Terry Martin: Personal Reflections

Olha Sukhomlynska — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

The review presents reflections inspired by Terry Martin’s The Affirmative Action Empire: Nations and Nationalism in the Soviet Union (1923–1939), and by the Director of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University. Although the Ukrainian translation of the book appeared as early as 2013, it attracted the attention of Ukrainian mass media only in the summer of 2025, following Professor Martin’s appointment to the above-mentioned position. This event itself became an additional impetus for a more thorough and attentive rereading of the work. In engaging with the study, the author of the review focused primary attention on the pages and chapters devoted to Ukraine. The reflections on the book are subjective and grounded in the author's knowledge of Ukrainian history in the 1920^s and early 1930^s.

Discussion of the draft Higher Education Standard for the specialty B10 Philosophy (bachelor's level).

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

On June 4, 2026, there was an online meeting of the participants of the working group formed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to develop a new state standard for philosophical education, as well as invited experts to discuss the main tasks and means of solving them regarding the first higher educational level in philosophy – the bachelor’s degree. Members of the working group led by Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor Angela Boiko took an active part in the meeting. Experts from National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Ukrainian Catholic University, National University “Ostroh Academy”, Dragomanov Ukrainian State University, and Chernihiv Polytechnic National University were also invited. The topic for discussion was the development of the potential of philosophical education, which is available in the universities of Ukraine, in particular - both in connection with deep transformations in higher education in Ukraine as a whole, and in philosophical education in particular. The practical achievements and unrealized ideas of the previous standard of teaching philosophy in the higher educational institutions of Ukraine were discussed, and accordingly, the possibilities of improving higher philosophical education in Ukraine thanks to the new standard of its teaching. The following issues were discussed: academic freedom of a higher education institution, the place of philosophical and humanitarian education in modern higher education of Ukraine, clarification of basic and special competencies in the provision of philosophical education, expanded implementation of practices in modern philosophical education, use of AI in teaching, learning and academic communication and other relevant issues.

About "Philosophy of Education" in the oldest higher education institution in Ukraine. National University "Ostroh Academy" - 450.

Olga Gresko — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

The main reports of the All-Ukrainian scientific conference «Philosophy of Education in Ukraine», which took place on May 8-9, 2026 in the city of Ostroh to mark the 450th anniversary of the Ostroh Academy, are considered. Participants from more than thirty organizations presented fundamental philosophical concepts at the plenary and sectional meetings «Philosophy of Education in Ukraine and the World», «Political Philosophy and Problems of Education», «History and Modernity of Ukrainian Philosophy». The round table «Missions of a Modern University» was devoted to discussing the challenges in education and science in Ukraine in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the development of value-based leadership, the usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in the university environment, etc.

Existential Dialectics as a Fundamental Element of the Culture of Thinking and Understanding

Serhii Taranov — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

The relevance of the work is determined by the need to overcome the crisis of modern culture, particularly the culture of thinking and understanding, which manifests itself, among other things, in the loss of worldview orientations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key concepts of existential dialectics and to clarify their heuristic possibilities within the system of constructing the modern culture of thinking and understanding. Methods. The author proposes the thesis that a true culture of thinking and understanding is inextricably linked to the hierarchy of higher meanings, where Being-itself (Esse Ipsum) occupies a central ontological place as the ultimate value, the source, and simultaneously the goal of human existence. On this basis, through a multi-layered comparative analysis of the philosophical heritage of Søren Kierkegaard and Max Stirner, the specificity of the existential-dialectical method in the process of formation and authentic self-identification of the personality is revealed. Novelty. Stirner’s so-called “nihilistic egoism” is interpreted not merely as a call to escape the captivity of things and ideas toward an existence based on personal caprice (the established interpretation), but as a radical dialectic of liberating creative uniqueness from the power of alienated things and ideological spooks that paralyze the living existence of the subject, correlating with Kierkegaard’s thought. The conclusion emphasizes that existential dialectics should be a productive tool for clarifying consciousness and, consequently, a powerful impulse for the ontological self-assertion of the personality. Such an approach in the culture of thinking and understanding paves the way toward the organic unity of modern science and ontologically and axiologically oriented philosophy.

The Methodological Foundations of the Concept of Postmodernism in Jean-François Lyotard and Ihab Hassan

Anatoliy Denysenko — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. In a world where metanarratives (science, religion, state) can no longer serve as guarantors of meaning, the only legitimation becomes the linguistic game as communication within local communities. Where Jean-François Lyotard sees the collapse of the system, Ihab Hassan sees the unleashing of creative potential. The purpose of this study is to draw attention to the fact that Lyotard answers the question of why the old world has been destroyed (the rejection of the dictatorship of universals), while Hassan shows how to exist in the new “postmodern world,” transforming fragments of chaos into a new aesthetic and intellectual reality. Methods. The study demonstrates that the philosophies of Lyotard and Hassan are, to a certain extent, complementary when considered inextricably linked rather than in isolation. Although deconstruction and construction are opposing concepts, in the context of the postmodern era it should be noted that a critique of metanarratives does not lead to chaos, but rather to a rethinking and search for new narratives, linguistic constructs, aesthetic and cultural phenomena that could better explain what is subject to deconstruction. Such an interpretation goes beyond a purely negative or purely positive view of postmodernism. Novelty. Is the attempt to combine the theories of Lyotard and Hassan, with the aim of discussing the dialectic of disintegration and construction. If Lyotard writes a diagnosis, then Hassan offers a therapy. Postmodernism is not simply “the end of anything,” it is a transition from the ontology of structures to the ontology of flows. Conclusion. When their methodologies are combined, Lyotard and Hassan together form a specific framework for understanding their contemporary world. For Lyotard, this is a negative phase. He clears the intellectual field, freeing it from the dictates of universal truths. Hassan represents a positive stage. He explains how, within Lyotard’s void, a new form of life emerges: play, irony, fragmentation, and pluralism.

Triad Analysis Of Ukrainian Research On Children’s Giftedness

Nadji Belkheiri, Volodymyr Kuznetsov — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. Giftedness research has produced a rich plurality of perspectives, yet the field lacks a unified framework that can account for the dynamic, multi‑layered nature of gifted development. The purpose. This article offers a novel synthesis by introducing the triad model, originally developed in the philosophy of science, as a comprehensive framework for conceptualising and fostering giftedness. Methods. Drawing on seven recent Ukrainian studies and the extensive international literature cited therein, we demonstrate that the triad model uniquely integrates the ontological, cognitive-structural, social-leadership, evolutionary, creative-integrative, methodological, and quantitative-assessment dimensions that have so far been treated in isolation. The model posits that any mature concept (including giftedness) consists of three co‑evolving components: the the referential domain and resources of giftedness Base (B); the the symbolic and cognitive frameworks used to describe and nurture it Representation (R); and the procedural, theoretical, and institutional mechanisms Linkage (L) that connect B and R. Novelty. We introduce the principle of asynchronous evolution, which explains how the three components change at different rates, creating both continuity and transformative shifts in educational practice. By applying this framework to the Ukrainian context and synthesising findings from the seven foundational studies, we show how it resolves the fragmentation in current research, provides a theoretical foundation for national talent development systems, and offers actionable guidelines for curriculum design, teacher training, and policy. Conclusion. A shift in research from static definitions to dynamic ecosystems of gifted development is needed, as well as the practical tools, including illustrative scenarios, a teacher’s guide, and an empirical research agenda, to facilitate implementation.

Teaching philosophy in schools: international experience, problems and prospects in Ukraine

Mykhailo Romanenko — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. The problem of teaching philosophy at school as a condition for the formation of autonomous thinking in the context of the transformation of the modern educational space, which is characterized by the strengthening of the role of competency models, the standardization of education and the growing complexity of the socio-cultural environment, is analyzed. In this context, a contradiction emerges between the declared goals of developing critical thinking, the ability for reasoned judgment, and responsible participation in public life, and the limited possibilities for their realization in educational practice. The purpose of the article is to provide a philosophical and educational analysis of the possibilities and limitations of integrating philosophy into school education through the examination of international experience and the identification of structural and methodological constraints of its implementation in the Ukrainian context. The research methodology is based on a combination of hermeneutic, comparative, and conceptual approaches, which makes it possible to interpret the philosophical foundations of education, analyze international educational practices, and identify the specific features of their adaptation within the Ukrainian educational system. The scientific novelty lies in substantiating the teaching of philosophy not merely as an academic discipline, but as a principle of organizing the educational process in which thinking becomes the central outcome of education, as well as in identifying the contradiction between the goals of developing critical thinking and the lack of appropriate institutional and pedagogical conditions for their realization. Conclusion. In the Ukrainian educational context there is a gap between the goals of developing thinking and the institutional conditions for their implementation, which limits the formation of the ability for judgment as a key educational outcome. The prospects for the development of philosophy in school education are associated with the establishment of dialogical forms of learning, the implementation of inquiry-based approaches, the strengthening of the role of the humanities, and the reconsideration of education as a space for forming the capacity for judgment, responsibility, and participation in the shared world.

Digital Ethos as a New Paideia: The Rhetoric of Authority in the Educational Space of the Post-Identity Era

Ivan Karpenko, Tetiana Podolska — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

The article examines the transformation of mechanisms for authority formation within the context of digital culture, where traditional foundations of trust – biography, corporeal presence, and moral consistency – are giving way to rhetorical effects of visibility, stylistic coherence, and the algorithmic circulation of images. The relevance of the study is driven by a radical shift from a subject-centered model of persuasion toward post-identity forms of authority that function without guarantees of authenticity or personal responsibility.

The purpose of the article is to provide a philosophical and rhetorical analysis of digital ethos as a specific form of paideia: not as an institutional system of education, but as a mode of orientation within a rhetorically overloaded space, where learning occurs through adaptation to algorithmically shaped patterns of trust. The methodology is rooted in an interdisciplinary approach combining classical rhetorical theory, the philosophy of discourse, and contemporary digital media studies.

The central object of analysis is the avatar as a rhetorical event – a point of intersection between image, algorithm, and cultural expectations. It is argued that digital ethos emerges through interface consistency, the aesthetics of credibility, memetic power, and the paradox of presence-absence.

The results demonstrate that in the digital age, persuasiveness does not require physical presence; instead, authority is constructed through the repetition, recognizability, and stylistic consistency of the image. Digital ethos marks a shift from education as the transfer of knowledge to education as navigation, where authority is constantly reconstructed. The “void” functions as a productive pedagogical strategy that compels the independent construction of understanding through disorientation. The conclusions open a space for rethinking educational practices in a post-identity culture, where critical thinking requires the recognition of rhetorical mechanisms used to construct authority within an algorithmically mediated environment.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Development of Inclusive Education in Higher Education Institutions

Taia Petik, Konstantin Beglov, Valentin Davydov — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. The article examines the potential of using artificial intelligence technologies as a tool for the development of inclusive education in higher education institutions. The theoretical and methodological foundations of integrating intelligent digital technologies into the university educational environment are analyzed, particularly in the context of the Universal Design for Learning concept. Purpose of the article is to identify key areas for the application of artificial intelligence systems in the inclusive educational process, encompassing support for students with diverse educational needs, expanding the pedagogical capabilities of educators, and automating the creation of accessible learning content. Methods. The specifics of using intelligent technologies for students with sensory, motor, and cognitive particularities are revealed, and the potential of adaptive educational platforms, speech recognition systems, computer vision, and educational analytics tools is outlined. Novelty. It is substantiated that the integration of intelligent technologies facilitates a transition from a reactive model of inclusion to a proactive one, focused on the personalization of learning and the formation of a universal design for the educational environment. Promising directions for the further development of intelligent systems in the field of inclusive education are identified, including the deepening of personalized learning pathways, the advancement of educational analytics, and integration with immersive technologies. Conclusion. Emphasis is placed on the importance of institutional readiness, digital competence development, and interdisciplinary collaboration for successful implementation. The role of continuous monitoring and evaluation of implemented solutions is highlighted to ensure their effectiveness and long-term sustainability, scalability, and adaptability in practice and preparing educators to work effectively with intelligent systems as key conditions for their successful adoption.

Philosophy (Not) for the Chosen: Democratization of Educational Practices in Classical Antiquity

Xenija Zborovska — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. The article explores the democratization of educational practices and philosophical knowledge in Antiquity, specifically the transition from an elitist understanding of virtue to an inclusive model of civic education. The ancient experience of rethinking the relationship between absolute truth (ἀλήθεια) and public opinion (δόξα) becomes highly relevant. The purpose of this study is to analyze Protagoras’s sophistic "educational revolution," which challenged Homer’s traditional aristocratic paideia and the elitist philosophy of Plato’s Academy. Methods. A historical and philosophical reconstruction, along with a comparative analysis of the elitist (Homeric-Platonic) and democratic (Sophistic) educational models, was conducted. The method of philosophical hermeneutics was applied for the textual analysis of primary sources (namely, Plato’s dialogues and the Homeric epics) to trace the evolution of key concepts (ἀλήθεια, δόξα, ἀρετή, παιδεία) in their socio-political dimension. Novelty. The author re-evaluates the shift from an orientation toward absolute truth to public opinion not as radical relativism, but as a necessary ontological condition for the emergence of inclusive education. The study interprets the Protagorean version of the myth of Prometheus, which conceptually grounds the innate capacity of every person to participate in state governance. The ancient polis emerges as a continuous educational environment where civic virtue (ἀρετή) is acquired as naturally and organically as one’s native language. The technical and therapeutic, rather than authoritarian, role of the sophist-tutor is emphasized: instead of broadcasting absolute truth, the tutor merely provides the necessary tools for independently constructing a worldview and the rules for engaging in discourse with the Other. Conclusion. The pedagogical and philosophical legacy of the sophists laid a solid foundation for modern inclusive education and democracy. A collective public logos is regarded as the only effective mechanism for the autonomous formation and continuous improvement of a free community’s values.

Raising the Perfect Person in the Totalitarian Practices of the Third Reich: Worldview and Philosophical Prerequisites and Modern Transhumanist Interpretations

Yurii Parkhomenko — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

The relevance of the study lies in the fact that the study and thorough analysis of totalitarian practices of eugenics and racial hygiene provides a key to understanding contemporary transhumanist philosophy and practices of bodily and spiritual improvement of the human being. It is noted that modern theories of “human enhancement” cannot be adequately understood outside their historical and philosophical genealogy. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to investigate the worldview and philosophical origins of totalitarian practices of forming and educating the “perfect” human. Methods. Historical-philosophical and genealogical methods were used to reconstruct the origins of eugenic and racial-hygienic thinking. A comparative-historical approach made it possible to compare classical eugenic concepts with their radicalized forms in a totalitarian context. Hermeneutic analysis was used to interpret primary sources and scientific texts. A conceptual-analytical method was used to clarify key concepts. Novelty. The work systematically shows for the first time that the totalitarian eugenics of the Third Reich is not only an ideological phenomenon, but also the ultimate expression of the logic of modern rationality and biopolitical thinking. The conceptual connection between Nazi practices of “human enhancement” and modern transhumanist projects is substantiated through the idea of guided evolution, which allows us to identify the common risks of reducing humans to an object of technological construction. Conclusion. As a result, the research found that the ideological foundation of the totalitarian practices of the Third Reich was instrumental rationality of the modern era and a vulgar, presumptuous social Darwinism. It was determined that the theorists of Nazism inherited the leading idea of the Enlightenment era concerning rational planning and control of human life while combining it with pseudo-scientific racism.

Pyrrhonian Skepticism as a Tool of Epistemic Defense Against the Ideology of the “russian world”

Bohdan Kozak — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. The ideology of the “russian world” (russkiy mir) functions not through rational argumentation but as an affective apparatus, mobilizing civic consensus via ressentiment, fear, and nostalgia. Prevailing counter-disinformation strategies rely primarily on cognitive verification tools; however, these remain inadequate as the ideology bypasses the rational faculty through its profound affective impact. Society must have both cognitive and affective resources for self-defense, that is, the ability not only to recognize manipulation, but also to be inaccessible to it. This study aims to explore Pyrrhonian ἐποχή and ataraxia as instruments of epistemic defense against the “russian world" ideology and to delineate the pedagogical implications of these findings for the Ukrainian educational context. Methods. The research employs a theoretical conceptual analysis incorporating elements of hermeneutics and interdisciplinary synthesis at the intersection of ancient skepticism, social epistemology, ideology theory, and critical “russian world” studies. Novelty. For the first time, a direct correlation is established between the Pyrrhonian tradition and resistance to this specific contemporary ideological system. The study introduces the concept of “epistemic ataraxia” – a state of affective and epistemological resilience achieved through the consistent application of ἐποχή. Furthermore, it demonstrates that Agrippa’s five tropes serve as an operationalized tool for disrupting the chain of ideological influence. Conclusion. The ancient Pyrrhonian tradition turns out to be not an archival artifact, but a living resource. Pyrrhonian ἐποχή operates in the interval between representation and judgment, effectively neutralizing the mechanism of affective engagement with ideology. The Ukrainian educational landscape requires supplementing cognitive critical thinking programs with an affective component, wherein Agrippa’s tropes serve as a practical method for cultivating epistemic defense across various levels of learning.

Appealing to Heidegger's Fourfold Contemplation in Post-Anthropocene Environmental Education

Yulong Li, Xiaojing Liu — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. If the environment continues to deteriorate, the Anthropocene could be a short geological epoch followed by humankind’s extinction. Some might assume that education should shoulder the responsibility for solving the problem – or at least prepare young people for life in a post-anthropocentric world. The formal education systems still tend to reproduce the current speciesist epistemology. This can be understood as a continuation of knowledge in the service of capitalism, which is not conducive to helping raise students’ awareness of a posthuman ecosystem. Purpose. This essay critiques the role of formal education in addressing the environmental crisis in the Anthropocene, arguing that institutionalized education perpetuates capitalist epistemologies that exploit nature as a standing reserve. Methods. As an antithesis, this paper proposes scholé – inactivity and contemplation – as a pathway to environmental stewardship, rooted in Greco-Roman philosophies and extended through Pieper’s concepts. Calculative thinking, which frames the world instrumentally, is also positioned against contemplation owing to the latter’s secularization. Novelty. Heidegger’s “fourfold” (earth, sky, divinities, mortals) is presented as a framework for metaphysical contemplation that suspends calculative thinking, fosters poetic dwelling, and reveals concealed meanings in nature. Conclusion. Heideggerian fourfold contemplation, as a scholé activity, should be encouraged in light of formal education’s ambiguity with regard to addressing the climate crisis caused by capitalism’s self-correcting engine. This article outlines a classroom design that applies Heidegger’s fourfold to everyday objects; two photographic examples are used to illustrate how Heideggerian contemplation can be implemented.

Vladlen Lutay and Conceptualization of Philosophy of Education in Ukraine

Yurii Mielkov — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. The year of 2026 marks the centenary of the birth of the outstanding Ukrainian philosopher Vladlen Lutay, who was one of the founders of the entire direction of philosophy of education in Ukraine, and such an anniversary becomes an occasion for an analytical review of his ideas on the conceptualization of philosophy of education and on relevant prospects for the current development of the study of this issue. The purpose of the article is to study the creative heritage of Vladlen Lutay in the context of the main problems of philosophy of education today. Methods. Using analytical, dialectical, synergetical and other methods, the ideas on the conceptualization of philosophy of education and its main directions, put forward by Vladlen Lutay in the publications of the 1990s-2000s, are being considered, as well as their correlation with the current needs and trends of philosophizing about education. Novelty. It is noted that the vision of the main contradiction and the main mission of philosophy of education outlined by Vladlen Lutay has not only not lost its relevance in the 2020s, but appears even more urgent than in the mid-1990s and in the first years of the millennium. In the situation of unpredictability of today’s world, a synergetical understanding of education as a “movement to advance”, as well as the place of human in a world where AI-based technologies are widespread, are becoming even more relevant. Conclusion. The philosophy of contemporary education as a combination of the idea of the substantial unity of opposites and the idea of appreciation of a unique individuality that cannot be reduced to a certain general essence reveals the possibility of finding a “third synthetic path” between monism and pluralism – and the transition from selfish anthropocentrism to an anthropocosmic system of interaction between humanity and nature, based on the principles of environmental friendliness and sustainable development, as well as achieving mutual understanding between representatives of different cultural and Weltanschauung positions.

The spiritual and moral dimension of education as a prerequisite for the formation of subjectivity

Serhii Rieznikov — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. The article addresses the problem of the spiritual and moral dimension of education in the context of contemporary socio-cultural transformations characterized by the growing dominance of instrumental rationality, digitalization, and the standardization of educational processes. Under these conditions, education is increasingly reduced to a mechanism for knowledge transmission and competence formation, which leads to the weakening of its value-meaning dimension and raises the question of the possibility of the individual’s development as a subject. The purpose of the article is to provide a philosophical and anthropological interpretation of the spiritual and moral dimension of education as a condition for the constitution of subjectivity, as well as to determine its role in integrating the cognitive, axiological, and social dimensions of human development. The methodological framework of the study is based on the philosophical-anthropological approach, complemented by hermeneutic, phenomenological, and axiological approaches, which allow education to be considered as a space for the interpretation of experience, the experiencing of values, and the formation of moral self-awareness. Elements of discourse analysis are also employed to identify the features of contemporary academic and educational discourse regarding the relationship between knowledge, values, and subjectivity. The scientific novelty of the study lies in interpreting the spiritual and moral dimension of education as an ontological condition for the constitution of subjectivity rather than as an auxiliary component of the educational process. For the first time, it is conceptualized as a meaning-generating space in which the integration of different dimensions of human development takes place and where the capacity for self-determination, reflection, and responsible participation in social life is formed. Conclusion. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of applying its results to the conceptualization of contemporary educational approaches oriented toward the development of subjectivity, as well as to the improvement of educational programs in line with the humanistic orientation of education.

Art of the Era of Industrial Mass Society in Theodor Adorno's Aesthetic Theory

Vitalii Bryzhnik — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Relevance. In examining Theodor Adorno's philosophical positions on the phenomenon of contemporary art, the dehumanized essence of ideological influence on human consciousness was singled out as corresponding to the socio-political realities of Ukrainian society. The purpose of the article is substantiate on the theoretical basis of Theodor Adorno's aesthetic works the ideological value of the philosopher's understanding of the direct dependence of socio-cultural transformations in society, which are of an emancipatory nature, on the presence in art of the factor of the personal spirituality of the creative person. Methods. The following elements of philosophical methodology were applied: method of combining analysis and synthesis, method of philosophical hermeneutics and method of reflection as a means of understanding those components of the philosopher's inner world that caused his reaction to the generation by a despiritualized society of socio-cultural phenomena of a negative nature for civilized coexistence of people. Novelty. The article emphasized, as a determining principle, the role of Theodor Adorno's home upbringing, which was a fundamental factor in the formation of the personal aesthetic and intellectual positions of the German thinker. His ideological and communicative ties with like-minded people and colleagues in research work were singled out as an important factor in the intellectual formation of the philosopher. The research deepened the ideological connection of Theodor Adorno's aesthetic theory with his critical ontology - such theoretical knowledge that provides an informed person with the ideological opportunity to spiritually resist the pressure on his consciousness of any ruling ideology. Conclusions. The theoretical result of the philosophical study of Theodor Adorno's aesthetic theory and his critical social theory is the understanding of the phenomenon of despiritualized art as an ideological means of controlling people in society. As an alternative to the above, another art was discovered, the spiritual power of which becomes an auxiliary means in the struggle of people for the opportunity to live freely.