Conceptions of the Future of Contemporary Civilization

Abstract

The article discusses the future of European civilization on the basis of the theoretical views of O. Spengler (“cultural ages” and “fate”), A. Toynbee ( soul and Prometheus impulse ), N. Berdyaev (“barbarism”, “culture”, “civilization and religious transformation”), as well as certain representatives of postmodernism, who clearly indicate the crisis of the cultural values of our contemporaneity: J. Derrida, J. F. Lyotard, M. Foucault. There is made an attempt at formulating the dominant values of the western European civilization, namely the dominant values that have crystallized from Antiquity to modern dimensions of modern man such as autonomy, self-determination of the individual, and the idea of an active-creative beginning and the possibility for their transformation following the example of eastern cultures. Using the historical and analytical method, the study outlines critical global issues (ecological, anthropological, educational, etc.), which require serious reconsideration of the value priorities, such as the ideal of the transformation of nature. Special attention is paid to certain ideals and principles of man s attitude to nature and to themselves, coming from the Eastern cultural traditions. The main conclusion that can be drawn is that only the dialogue between the West culture and the East culture would be the salvation of our civilization.