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Review by Prof. Nonka Bogomilova on Professor's Mirko Blagojević studies on (de)secularization
The paper analizes the literary interpretation of Vera Mutafchieva of the notions native, own, foreign within the context of the complicated existential experience in exile of her characters: the poet Saadi and Cem sultan, also a poet. Understanding and experiencing of native is situated within the context of important existentials: friendship, morality, creative vocation.The analysis emphasizes the experience of the native in the context of the creative vocation as the most essential power of the personality (as shown in the case of the “late” Saadi in “The case of Cem sultan”). As far as the poetic vocation is connected to the native language, the homeland appeared to be an irreplaceable topos for practicing and for sharing its poetic fruits with the reader and the listener as word and message.
Keywords: poetic vocation, exile, homeland, friendship, native language
Review by Prof. Nonka Bogomilova on the book Islam, Christianity, and Secularism in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe. The Last Half Century (2022). Simeon Evstatiev and Dale F. Eickelman (Eds.) Brill: Leiden, Boston
The principal notions and values of the Petar Mutafchiev’s philosophy of Bulgarian history are described and commented: Bulgarian, native, nation, people, paganism, cultural-political influence of byzantinism, past and future, political leaders, intelligence, etc. A special attention is paid to P. Mutafchiev’s interpretation of the role of those phenomena in the processes, trends and dramatic events in the Bulgarian history: to his ctiticism to the leaders and the intelligence; to his interpretation of people as a victim and sufferer. The evaluation of his ideas from the point of view of past and contemporary authors is emphasized.
Key words: Bulgarian, native, nation, people, cultural-political influence of byzntinism, political leaders.
Postmodern philosophy tends towards the gradual annihilation of the category of “human nature”, „human essence” and its basic modes: reason, morality, freedom; human nature appears as one of the totalizations subjected to criticism. The paper briefly presents three view points on the status of the concept of “human essence” in the Enlightenment sense of the notion: it serves as a cognitive and value foundation, a reference point for analysis and social critique of the trends and phenomena in modern and postmodern society. Phenomena such as alienation, in all its various forms; consumerism; the breakdown of human ties in reality and their “reanimation” in the virtual sphere; magical thinking, fear, and aggression as dangerous “waste products” of these trends.
Keywords: human essence, reason, morality, freedom, alienation
Review of the monograph of Prof. Emilia Marinova "The Objective Study of Morality and Contemporary Ethics" (Faber Publishing House, 2019)
Based on the comparative analysis between some of the main concepts and ideas of recently published Assen Ignatow’s doctoral thesis „Structure of Historical Knowledge” (1972), and his panoramic study „Anthropological Philosophy of History” (1993), the paper develops and argues the thesis regarding the continuity between these two studies/stages of the author’s work. A conclusion is argued that this early study marks the end of the “Bulgarian” period of his scientific career and work as difficult and painful, but scientifically fruitful, which has significantly contributed to the formulation of Ignatow’s creative cognitive “matrix” of ideas and notions regarding man and history.
Keywords: historical knowledge, explanation, interpretation, philosophy of history, subject of history
The paper examined the religious context of the „two Europes" (East - West) thesis as regards: a) comparative analysis of the processes and trends in contemporary religiousness; b) legal dimensions of the relations between State and Church ("onthological primacy" of the State) and the problems of the inter-religious dialog.
Comparative analysis of these tendencies indicate certain general similarities. Analyzed are the causes for both the differences and similarities in these processes, and special attention is devoted to the secularization as a continuing process in "both Europes".
Keywords: contemporary religiosity, two Europes, religious "revival", religion and state, secularization trend.
Review of Dr. Lilia Sazonova's book "European Identity: Discursive or Existential?" (Varna: EE LiterNet, 2018)
The paper examined the religious context of the „two Europes" (East - West) thesis as regards: a) comparative analysis of the processes and trends in contemporary religiousness; b) legal dimensions of the relations between State and Church ("onthological primacy" of the State) and the problems of the inter-religious dialog.
Comparative analysis of these tendencies indicate certain general similarities. Analyzed are the causes for both the differences and similarities in these processes, and special attention is devoted to the secularization as a continuing process in "both Europes".
Keywords: contemporary religiosity, two Europes, religious "revival", religion and state, secularization trend.
Abstract: The paper analyzes some anthropological aspects of love and love-related relationships in the famous novel The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The love in the love quartet, experienced by Prince Lef Nicolaievitch Muishkin, Nastasia Philipovna, Parfen Rogojin and Aglaya Epanchina is stamped by passions and paroxysms: sufferance, compassion, adoration, pride, joy, self-umiliation, self-destruction, happiness. Here the love is split between body and soul, sufferance and happiness, subjection and freedom, life and death. The body-soul relation and split is especially emphasized. The soul sufferance is analyzed as influencing the body sufferance and the self-destruction. The passionate love is seen as an expression of vitality, of deep and magic relation between man and women, oscillating between freedom and subjugation, joy and sadness. Those aspects of human essence, interpreted in the novel, are put in anthropological perspective.
Keywords: love, love quartet, passions, body, soul, sufferance, compassion, happiness, freedom.
The paper describes and analyzes some philosophical-historical approaches toward West as type of civilization, regional culture, cultural areal, that possesses a universal historical perspective. The critical and analytical approaches of M. Weber, A. Toynbee and Assen Ignatov are described. The “capitalist spirit”, the western rationalism, militarism, secularism are emphasized and criticized. The capacity of the West to be open, dynamic, to self-transform itself is analyzed within the framework of its potential historical universality.
Key words: East, West, philosophy of religion