Ideas and Ideals

This round table is dedicated to the issues discussed by the participants in the collective monograph “The Wheel of Time: a new axial Turn.” We are talking about the situation of social uncertainty that has developed as a result of a number of processes: globalization with its mixture of values, demographic processes, the aggressive offensive of artifi cial intelligence, and the emergence of new technologies. This situation changes a person’s place in the world and changes his consciousness. In particular, there is a process of gradual loss of subjectivity, when new ways of communication penetrate the intellectual sphere. Artifi cial intelligence is beginning to actively replace natural intelligence. And what is a digital person with whom we are starting to communicate more and more? How does this affect our consciousness and our understanding of the soul and consciousness? This is especially evident in the education system. And, of course, it is necessary to fi nd means to foster critical thinking and not switch to imitating intellectual activity. But at the same time, we see how the use of gadgets changes thinking, making it completely dependent on a variety of information that is completely uncritically perceived. If education is a cultural translator, and not just a preparation for future well-paid activities, then its goal should be, fi rst of all, the formation of a personality, and only then a specialist. In the management of society, the obvious insuffi ciency of the technocratic way of thinking is revealed. Along with the processes of individualization, there is a process of disintegration of society into separate groups, and gaps are growing between these groups. The gaps between generations are also growing, and this is happening at the value level. As one of the approaches to overcoming this situation, it is proposed to turn to the philosophy of Russian cosmism. And there is still hope for the preservation of traditional values among young people. The problem of specialization is discussed separately, when the opportunity to discuss some common topics is lost. And also the problem of possible editing of the species diversity of mankind.

The round table “The Pythagorean Argument of the Intelligent Design of the Universe” was held in the online format on 12, December, 2024. The discussion was held on the cycle of articles by A.V. Burov and A.M. Tsvelik “The Pythagorean Argument of the Reasonable Design of the Universe and its Critique” published in the journal “Ideas and Ideals” in Nos. 3 and 4 of 2023 and Nos. 1–3 of 2024. The discussion was attended by such scholars as Mikhail Arkadyev, Andrei Baumeister; Alexander Bobylev; Alexei Burov (moderator); Igor Dmitriev; Igor Dymov; Konstantin Zuev; Andrey Ivanchenko; Kirill Kopeikin; Irina Rybakova; Alexey Tsvelik.

The participants of the round table discussed the problems of transformation of the information space and the place of the human being in this process. This includes the issues of introducing artifi cial intelligence in the learning process, and the nature of human changes in the new conditions dictated by the need to respond to the relevant challenges of ever-changing technologies. The question of the changing relationship between knowledge and information in connection with the habit of using smartphones, when there is a serious degradation of the value of knowledge. Also we observe a paradigm shift in the education system and the need to respond to it as adequately as possible. The problem of adapting to fundamentally changing communication technologies that change social relations and ways of identifi cation and even self-identifi cation. The question arises about the suffi ciency of the level of human adaptability in relations with the environment formed by these technologies and  more broadly – about the validity of the ideas of transhumanism. The phenomenon of imitation of thinking is discussed, when the tasks requiring solution are reduced to the process of ‘stimulus – reaction’, as well as the problem of creativity control by bureaucratic structures in the conditions of changes in the relations between scientifi c and technological progress and social progress.

On May 14, 2023, the fourth international round table “Ideological Factors of Interstate Relations in Central Asia” was held at the Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management as a part of international research project “Factors of Interstate Cooperation in Central Asia. ‘The Great Game’ Index”. The expert meeting was devoted to a non-trivial issue for modern expert political discourse – ideology. It was understood by the speakers in a very broad context: everything that creates meanings and motivations in interstate interaction. Participants examined through the prism of multi-vector policy of countries of the region quantitative and qualitative indicators of the main non-regional actors in ideological sphere. Particular attention was paid to such value-dependent areas as cultural and educational cooperation, public activism, history and the media. In conclusion, a discussion was held on the prospects of the neo-republican system in the context of interstate relations in Central Asia.

At the round table, the participants discussed a number of issues concerning the organizational and fundamental aspects of the current educational reform. First, the goal of change is formulated either vaguely or purely negatively. Analysis of the situation shows that none of the major players in the educational process are ready to establish clear "rules of the game" and, therefore, do not demonstrate the enthusiasm to really reform the system of education. Also, analysis of the strategy that defines the direction of the current reform shows that it does not provide the basis for the concentration of resources to solve the problems of education and science, not counting the six universities, which will receive priority funding for the implementation of experimental programs, but it is not commensurate with the level of the challenges facing society in the educational sphere. It is also important to mention the fact that the choice of these universities reinforces the inequality of European and Trans-Ural universities. There is an obvious underestimation of humanities and philosophy. The key question here is whether the educational system should provide systematic knowledge or whether it can be structured to form certain individual competencies. It is also necessary to understand - and this is an extremely important issue - how the educational system should shape the national consciousness. Participants discuss whether it should build an anthropological model of Russian civilizational culture or continue to form individualistic values in the spirit of European rationalism. After all, it is no coincidence that serious worldview problems arose that required new courses at school and the course on "The Fundamentals of Russian Statehood" at institutions of higher learning. The main conclusion to be drawn from the discussion is that the proposed transformations do not correspond to the scale of the necessary reform and will not bring the results demanded by society.

Participants of the round table discuss some key problems of the current crisis situation in the Russian science and education, caused by thoughtless reforming of these spheres of domestic culture during the last decades. The situation is aggravated by the fact that there is a significant underfunding of science and, especially, education, if compared with developed countries. In addition, there is a negative reorientation of both spheres toward utilitarian goals. Another peculiarity of these decades is that the ongoing transformation is not based on a serious analysis of the current situation, but only on the proclaimed groundless future benefits, such as the European recognition of diplomas, or the wide mobility of teachers, etc. Such features of a present situation in a science and education are also discussed as orientation to the decisions of standard problems and thoughtless application of testing, value of ideology of making money instead of serious scientific career, situation when the official is not responsible for not absolutely correct indicators have been established, appreciable fall of level of the entrants entering high schools as result Uniform State Exam, etc.

Three main problems were brought up for discussion by the participants of the round table: What is the essence of populism/neo-populism? What potential aspects of populism / neo-populism were unrealized in the 19th-20th centuries and why? Is the old Soviet mantra about the “ideological collapse of populism” relevant today? How do we see the relevance of the intellectual heritage of populism/neo-populism? How and in what areas and spheres can it be used today and tomorrow?

The article by G.N. Mokshina “What is populism?” was offered as material for discussion. The article used materials from a survey of 32 specialist historians, who have attempted to propose their own formulations and approaches. During a lively discussion, the participants also discussed such problems as the need to clarify the conceptual apparatus and expand the terms populism / neo-populism, the relationship between populism / neo-populism and liberalism and various trends within populism, and came to the conclusion that it is necessary to continue the discussion.

The participants in the Round table “The Value of Scientific Journal” discuss a number of problems that are currently encountered by authors and publishers of corresponding journals. Will scientific journal be preserved in its present form in the competitive environment with drastic growth of electronic communications? Is a printed on paper journal the best way to present scientific results? Are its functions changing? What is the audience of authors and readers of scientific journals in recent time? These questions get different answers. The traditional functions of a scientific journal can now be carried out in new forms, and it is not clear what will remain of the habitual printed copy in the nearest future. In particular, this concerns the function of presenting scientific knowledge, which is gradually moving to specialized electronic portals. The issue of the relationship between socio-humanitarian journals and journals which present natural sciences is discussed separately. The standardization and formalization of the presentation of results for humanitarian articles is in most cases unacceptable, but it is this feature that is one of the most important when including the journal in most significant international databases. The same applies to journals that popularize science at the serious level. The problem of scientometrics’ objectivity is discussed. What does the fact of a higher citation level, for example, in economics, mean when Keynes and Marx are inferior to many modern researchers according to the Hirsch index? The participants discuss the problem of the scientific level of authors in Russian conditions, the problem of the lack of originality of publications, and some other issues.

The round table discussed a wide range of issues related to the history of the Komsomol, paying special attention to a historic change in the tasks and structure of the Komsomol organization. In the course of the conversation participants demonstrated different positions and approaches, as well as fundamentally different assessments of the Komsomol activity. They discussed the role of youth in the life of the state, the ways of assessments of historical events in general, and unpredictability of our history.

Since 2009 the “Novosibirsk Model of the United Nations” at the Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management has been held by the Department of the World Economy, International Relations and Law as an important methodological and practical element of education in International Relations, International Regional Studies and the World Economy. The experience of modeling the activities of the United Nations is important for students to understand how the decision-making process in modern international system works and why in international relations everything is not going as well as we would like, but not as bad as it could be. The round table discussed the role of the UN in the modern world, the history of the organization and the contradictions, put in the basement by its founders when it emerged; the causes of the current UN crisis and the prospects for its elimination; the role of the UN in the past and present armed conflicts; in ensuring international security and protecting human rights; the United Nations activities in the field of the world economy on the example of the UN Global Compact on Social Responsibility, as well as other issues related to international relations at the present stage. It is noted that in the ordinary mind the expectations of the UN are extremely high. The UN has formed the image of a powerful and influential organization, the world government,