Philosophy
/ 2. Social Philosophy
Dr. Sc., Professor Karabayeva A.G.,
Dr. Sc., Professor Ismagambetova Z.N.
Al-Faraby Kazakh National University,
Republic of Kazakhstan
The problem of social values in the context of social philosophy
The values of the social
sphere are manifested as a specific "internal" and
"external" reality. Values become
the direct motive and, at the same time, the condition of human activity. A
person in social philosophy is seen as a value being.
Values in social theory
are revealed as a socio-psychological "foundation" of society and
social life. Value characteristics, value properties and value orientations
refer to the "concrete person". The phenomenon of "social
values" suggests their socio-psychological interpretation. The social
system cannot exist without its motivational basis in the form of social
values.
Social
values suggest personal attitude to the information about available
social norms. The picture of social reality captures the characteristics and
qualities of the subject of social-value reality and activity. Value is
described as a wide range of social meanings. "Selected" social
values are transformed into motives of orientations or into value orientations.
Society
in the social conception is often seen as a social-value system. The nature and
essence of social values depends on the way of person existence
as value creature. Values are described as a socio-psychological
quality and the basis of life of
society as a system or integrity. The systemic social
crisis is correlated with the value crisis in society and
culture, and also in the personal sphere. The deficiency of value consciousness and
behavior indicates crisis in society, the disintegration of the system of
social relations and the prospects for changes and transformations in society.
"Value person", person in
the context of value attitude, person in "regarding position", person
as figure of assimilating of a "value "environment" is revealing
as a subject of social and cultural communication. The "value subject"
is characterized as a subject of social relations and cultural communication.
The values of the subject are disclosed as a material of cultural
interaction and as the construction of a social environment in all diversity
and breadth of the space of human life and activity.
Social
philosophy analyzes values as the most important parameter of social
transformation and modernization. Values are also defined as
important factor in the integration of society as well as in the functions of manifestation
of identity at different levels and in the various spheres of human life. The
society and its main spheres and institutions are viewed from the standpoint of
the content, meaning and functions of social values and even
corresponding motivational basis.
It is accepted to distinguish the categories
"value" and "value orientation" in the system of value
concepts. The category "value orientation" has a specific meaning.
Concept reflects individual – personal – value relations and preferences as
personal value and "individual" value
"choice". The system of value orientations of the individual
includes, along with the individual value preferences of person, in the same
way the historically conditioned values of society.
Social
values are necessarily manifested or identified as important
parameter of personal relations, communication and motivational commencement for
the individual and social groups. Social values are defined as
the properties or characteristics of various social actors. The socio-value
level of the organization of society reflects features of the corresponding
socio-cultural model.
Actual
analysis of values involves the consideration and assessment of
formation of personal motivation and the attitude’s base. Modern society is
analyzed as a socio-psychological reality and value sphere. Social psychology
manifested great interest in the "non-value" nature of human behavior
and activity as well as in characteristics of "non-value" mentality.
The
differentiation of values attitudes and values orientations
emphasizes the complexity and multi-level organization of values
and value systems and the complexity and ambiguity of
internalization and identification of values. Value attitudes of different
levels combine and correlate in the social sphere. Social thought fixes
multilevel and multi-factors of value consciousness and value behavior.
The
most important part of social values is revealed as traditional
values. The profound social transformation and transition of society and social
systems are related to the transformation of the system of social values. The society
and its groups may experience the crisis or deficiency of value consciousness
and behavior. Contemporary
social theory shows interest to the value sphere as a
mental-moral complex and factor of unity and integrity of
society and culture.
Models of "thoughtful", "selective" relations to norms
occupy a special position in social theory. The concept of value as the full
and, at the same time, the specific motive of human actions is maintained in
contemporary theory. This concept gets a stable characteristic in social
philosophy. Values and value attitudes exists not only in the
form of objective social norms. Social philosophy considers social norms as appropriated
by the individual. Social theory makes a distinction between social norms and
values. The social norm is not always converted into value.
Contemporary
social theory essentially prefers person as "assimilating" and "appropriating"
of value content. Person forms and transforms the value orientation. The logic
of value development, the value evolution of man and mankind are described as
the appearance of the value of person or individual values. "Value person"
will take the function of the subject in the system of formation and use of
social norms and the relevant "regulatory" and "normative"
elements, factors and structures.
E.
Fromm reveals features of the translation of social values, the various general
and significant values into the motivational base of personalities, regulators
motives of personal behavior. E. Fromm focused on the difference between of the
values-attitudes – "values – regulators" and attitudes - non-values or
"non-value regulators" [1]. Values
are considered in philosophy mostly in close connection with the
definition of the essence of man and his creativity. Values
reflect a person's ability to create the world and to realize
themselves on the basis of existing and assimilating values.
Values
do not exist in the format of presentation. Values are not a
sphere of "pure" reflection. Values are not verbal,
conceptual expression of an ideal sense. The values are embodied
in the behavior [2]. Values constantly, consistently, everywhere are
demonstrated, manifested, revealed, renovated and defined in terms of human
behavior and actual activity. Human activity is impossible outside of valuable
context. Values are expressed in practice. Values are revealed in
the forms of practice and practical activity. Values promote the
development of specific forms of cultural practice. Values are
demonstrated through various forms of personal and social practices. Values
are an important part of social communication. Development of
social and cultural reality involves the relativization of values and
value "content". Social reality is associated with transformation of
value meanings and value consciousness. The values of modern
society are characterized by the blurring of the value content of culture.
Social conceptions define instability and dynamism of social values. Theory of
values reflects interconnection of the subjective, social and cultural
functions of values.
Value sphere can be represented as "intentional
system", as the target-orientation activity, attitude positioning,
regulatory practices as well as the sphere of needs, meanings and interests of
the social actors. Values
have a direct connection with social dynamics. Values
construct prerequisites for the transformation of social
experience. Values of contemporary society and culture reflect
the diversity of meanings and functional aspects of the social phenomena and structures
as well as social connections and relations.
References
1.
Borisenko
V.V. Nauka i rynochnye otnoshenija v informacionnom obshhestve:
social"no-filosofskijj analiz. – M: Nauka, 2008
2.
Poljakov
A.V. Obshhaja teorija prava: fenomenologo-kommunikativnyii podhod. – 2-e izd., dop.
– SPb.: Izdatel"stvo «Juridicheskijj centr Press», 2003