Worldview, Philosophy, Ideology: Problems of Relationship in the Context of Social Change

Abstract

The article examines the problems of the relationship between worldview, philosophy and ideology, which, according to the authors, remain extremely confusing and insufficiently clarified in Russian philosophical literature, which leads to scholastic disputes and unfounded theoretical and practical conclusions. Sharing the definition of philosophy as a specific form of worldview, which has been established in Russian philosophical literature, the authors at the same time consider it necessary to distinguish between worldview as an ideal type and “really existing” worldviews. Mythological, religious and philosophical worldviews should be considered as ideal types. Neither mythological nor religious worldviews as ideal types can contain philosophy in the proper sense of the word. It is emphasized that philosophy is not only a form of worldview, but also a type of cognitive activity. The authors consider ideology as a special phenomenon of the spiritual life of society, not reducible to philosophy, science or worldview.