author: Tamara Rudenko
Abstract.
Relevance of the research. From the beginning of its existence to this day, the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy has been a center of science, the production of philosophical ideas, and the cultural life of the Ukrainian people. Its students, professors, and mentors contributed to the development of culture, art, science, philosophy, and literature, and represented Ukrainian culture outside of Ukraine. The Academy affirmed the spirituality of the people, spread the ideas of humanism and reformation, its graduates opened schools, created libraries, and took an active part in socio-political life. The professors of the Academy spread education and knowledge, believing that an educated and well-mannered person is morally responsible for his own life and the fate of society.
An outstanding graduate of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy is Hryhoriy Skovoroda. The thinker's philosophical heritage has become a model of philosophical thinking, a subject of research and discussion for a large number of domestic and foreign philosophers.
Professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy: F. Prokopovych, H. Konysky, M. Kozachynsky, S. Kulyabka, S. Kalynovsky and others added ethical ideas to the Ukrainian philosophical legacy, which are still relevant today in the aspect of moral education, national and spiritual revival.
Problem statement. The philosophical heritage of the professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and its outstanding graduate H. Skovoroda has been sufficiently researched today, but their consideration of moral issues still attracts the attention of many researchers. Today, in the conditions of the formation of new values, ethical issues are quite relevant and necessary, which is why the problem of studying the moral values of human existence in the philosophy of H. Skovoroda and professors-teachers of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy of the XVII-XVIII century arose.
Analysis of recent research and publications. The philosophical heritage of H. Skovoroda, the work of professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy is the subject of research by a large number of scholars, among which, it should be noted, the works of V. Horsky, M. Hrushevsky, A. Kanarsky, M. Popovych, O. Potebnia, D. Chyzhevsky, I. Franko, S. Yarmus and other scholars.
The research required reference to the philosophical works of H. Skovoroda, works that include ethical reflections of professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy: F. Prokopovych, S. Yavorsky, I. Gizel, S. Kulyabka, M. Kozachynsky, H. Konysky, H. Shcherbatsky, etc.
The study examined the works of modern scholars, whose subject of study was the activities of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy as the leading educational institution of Ukraine in the XVIII century, its outstanding professors and graduates. Among them, the works of such scholars as: Ya. Butsiora, A. Makhinko, Ya. Stratiy, A. Tsarenok, O. Tsisar, T. Shamsutdinova-Lebedyuk, etc. Should be highlighted.
Research task. The purpose of the study is to highlight the moral values of human existence in the philosophy of H. Skovoroda, the ethical views of professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy of the XVII-XVIII century. This requires an appeal to their philosophical work, the main ethical ideas that were included in the philosophical courses of professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, primarily Feofan Prokopovych, Stefan Yavorsky, Sylvester Kulyabka, Mykhailo Kozachynsky, Hryhoriy Konysky, etc.
Main material presentation. The main features of Ukrainian philosophical thought have been formed since ancient times. The problem of man, his moral life appears in the works of ancient “scribes” of Kyivan Rus, ethical issues are considered by professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, it is vividly represented in the philosophical work of H. Skovoroda. In the philosophical thought of professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, there was a discourse on the essence of man, the historical development of the process of cognition, where special attention was paid to man, his mind, the study of his inner spiritual world, the problem of morality, and personal freedom.
Ukrainian philosopher G. Skovoroda was a graduate of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and the formation of his views was significantly influenced by the philosophical ideas of both the academy's professors and Western European philosophers of the time.
The leading trend in the philosophy of G. Skovoroda is the humanistic tendency. The problem of man, his inner world, and cordocentrism are the main themes of his philosophical reflections. In such works as: “The Garden of Divine Songs” (1757-1780), “A Conversation of Five Travelers about True Happiness in Life” (1770), “A Symphony, called the book Askhan, about Know Yourself” (1767), “The Ring. A Friendly Conversation about the Spiritual World” (1774), “A Little Book, called the Sirych Icon of Alcibiades” (1776), “It is Easy to Be Good” (1783), “Dialogue. His Name is the Serpentine Flood” (1780), “Narcissus. A Conversation about: Know Yourself” (1794), G. Skovoroda reveals religious and moral issues.
The philosopher emphasizes self-knowledge, which at the same time becomes the knowledge of God. A person will be able to understand the world when he knows himself. This will allow him to build harmonious relationships with the world, choose an activity related to his nature, achieve success in it and be happy.
The main topics of philosophical reflections of professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy are the problem of spirituality, the moral life of man, his values, and the meaning of existence.
A graduate of the academy, and later its rector, Feofan Prokopovych, examines such concepts as nature, God, spirituality, good and evil, and human happiness.
Philosophical reflections of I. Gisel include moral and religious issues. The philosopher paid special attention to the problems of human moral virtues, sinfulness, and moral duty. The philosopher's ethical views include solving the problems of the meaning of human life, achieving happiness.
S. Kulyabka considers the issue of the purpose of man, good, and the good. M. Kozachinsky argues that the purpose of man is moral virtue and finding ways to achieve it. Grigoriy Shcherbatsky emphasizes the special role of self-awareness in human life; the main problem of his philosophical searches is the ontology of the “true man”.
S. Yavorskyi reflected on the separation of secular and spiritual power, raised questions about the autonomy of the church. G. Konyskyi in his views on man adhered to the position that man is capable of being happy in earthly life, he emphasized that the purpose of human life is the good that he is capable of creating.
G. Skovoroda and professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy made a great contribution to the development of Ukrainian philosophy and science. The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy produced many educated church figures, spiritual writers, philosophers, who embodied Christian piety, spirituality, and cordiality with their lives, and made a significant contribution to educational activities.
Conclusions. The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy became the center of intellectual and cultural life of the second half of the XVII-XVIII and early 19th centuries, the main principles of its educational activities were further developed in the Kyiv Theological Academy, the philosophical tradition was continued by the Kharkiv and Kyiv universities, as well as educational institutions outside Ukraine.
G. Skovoroda and the professors of the academy considered human existence as a process of continuous spiritual development, the means of which is self-knowledge and self-improvement of the individual. G. Skovoroda saw the true expression of human life in “related work”, which corresponds to human nature, the professors of the academy focused on moral education, understanding of the law.
Keywords: moral values, human existence, spiritual world of the individual, spiritual needs, good and evil, happiness, meaning of human existence, moral duty, true person, self-knowledge, professors of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
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