Historical anthropology as a modern philosophy of history: micro-historical analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to reveal the essence of the theoretical features of «microhistorical » concepts as components of the historical-anthropological horizon of the modern philosophy of history, and their significance for the development of philosophical-historical studies. The methodology of this work includes the principles of complementarity, structure, and dialogue. In the study of the problematic field of work, the following methods were applied: philosophical hermeneutics, systemic-structural, and interdisciplinary. Research results. In the process of understanding the development of cognitive correlations and the dialogue of «microhistorical » theories and other concepts, which were formed in the process of the dynamics of historical anthropology as a modern philosophy of history, it is possible to determine a set of heuristic philosophical-historical approaches and trends in the formation of the «micro-historical» dimension of the development of past societies. Among them we note: the understanding of the personal and microsocial dimensions of the past; establishment of cognitive correlations of philosophical and historical experiments of micro-objects and macro-objects; intensification of the intellectual dialogue of the micro-historical horizon of the philosophy of history with the social and humanitarian sciences (psychology of the individual) and the reduction of the intensity of their theoretical dialogue with sociology. The given heuristic assets and scientific concepts of the «micro-historical» dimension of philosophical-historical studies turn out to be an essential component in the process of developing the concepts of historical anthropology as a modern philosophy of history. To a large extent, this trend is manifested in the deepening of the understanding of human existence in the past. The theoretical specificity of the «micro-historical» horizon is the basis for the study of methodological correlations of historical anthropology as a modern philosophy of history with post-structuralist concepts. They believe that there are no laws in the development of the historical process and focus their theoretical studies on understanding the original components of the social existence of the past. The theoretical approaches of the «micro-historical» horizon of philosophical and historical studies to the understanding of the individual life experience of an individual interact with the concept of the «human dimension» of the dynamics of science, which was formulated by Art. Toulmin. In the implementation of this philosophical-scientific project, the theoretical approaches of the «micro-historical» aspect of historical anthropology as a modern philosophy of history can be effectively applied in the reflexive field of concepts of the philosophy of science, in particular in the field of analysis of the mentality and personal traits of scientists, which significantly affect the peculiarities of their scientific worldview and investigations.