Philosophy as Love of Wisdom

Historical Types of Worldview: Myth, Religion, and Philosophy

Philosophy, as the love of wisdom, a free choice of thought, and pure contemplation, occupies a central position within this system of coordinates. Traditionally, the term "philosophy" is linked to Pythagoras, who understood it as the pursuit of knowledge concerning the nature of things, while philosophers are those who strive for wisdom, or the highest form of knowledge. This highest knowledge—understanding the nature of things—holds practical significance, as it opens the path to comprehending the ultimate purpose of human life. As Cicero stated, philosophy is the knowledge without which one cannot master the "art of living."

What is myth? Myth (from the Greek mythos, meaning "word," "narrative," or "speech") is a narrative about the origin of the world (cosmogony), the genealogy of gods (theogony), and the heroic feats of figures (heroic epic). Myth is directly tied to oral tradition. For Alexander Potebnja, language is the primary and original tool of mythology, and it cannot be conceived apart from the spoken word. Myth is this living word. And what existed before myth? Essentially, nothing. Myth represents the beginning, the starting point of human spiritual life, marking the end of mere animal existence. Through language, humans created myths, and in recounting them, they refined their speech. Here, what matters is not merely the content of these stories, but the manner in which they were conveyed.

Individual myths that form a coherent system constitute the mythology of a particular people, which underlies their distinctive worldview; this encompasses ancient philosophy, moral maxims, and scientific truths veiled in symbols and allegories. According to J. G. Herder, this represents humanity's childhood, a time when, before awakening, the soul dreams...

Alexei Losev, the developer of modern theories of the socio-historical development of myth, in his foundational work Dialectics of Myth, argues that myth is not an ideal concept, nor a type of poetic imagery, science, or dogma. "Myth is life itself," an "energetic self-assertion of the individual." Specifically:

1. a) Myth is not a religious symbol, as religion signifies a belief in a transcendent world and life governed by that belief, encompassing a certain moral framework, customs, magic, rituals, and sacraments—essentially, a cult. b) Myth does not contain anything transcendent within itself and does not require any belief. Belief implies a dichotomy between the believer and what is believed in. c) Myth is neither belief nor knowledge, but rather a unique, albeit original consciousness. For the primitive person, who has not yet differentiated between belief and knowledge, any mythic object is so credible and evident that it speaks not of belief, but of a certain identity between the individual and the surrounding environment, i.e., nature and society. d) Myth represents a type of worldview in which the real coincides with the fantastic; religion is belief that presupposes the existence of the fantastic, yet distinguishes the fantastic from the real. e) The root of myth-making is the dream and hope of subduing the forces of nature and the phenomena of life to human will. Religion seeks to subordinate humans to higher powers that dominate them, both natural and social, primarily social, while mythology is directed towards humans' control over the forces of nature. f) Through myth, humans "dissolve" themselves in nature and master the forces of nature only in imagination; yet this mastery (even if it exists only in fantasy) signifies the beginning of the history of "spirit" and the end of purely animal existence.

The disintegration of tribal society leads to the destruction of mythology, separating art, religion, and philosophy, and eventually science. The path to philosophy is a movement from myth to logos. Starting from the 5th century BCE, logos, representing the capacity for reasoning and intellect, stands opposed to myth. Logos also signifies word, concept, and thought, which provide justification or refutation.

Religion (from Latin religio, meaning piety or connection with the divine) is also a word, and it is the Word of God; here, religious feelings and perceptions prevail, leading to the emergence of sacred texts: the Bible, the Quran, the Torah, etc., along with places of worship and rituals.

According to Immanuel Kant, religion does not differ in content from morality—its object concerns duty in general; its distinction from morality is merely formal, granting moral legislation the power to influence human will indirectly, through God.

Art, too, is a word, but a word-image, where thought is clothed in imagery. Art, as contemplation and image, does not prove or refute anything; rather, it allows individuals to artistically engage with the world, creating beauty and deriving pleasure from the splendor of words, perfect lines, unparalleled form, the depth and richness of color, the interplay of light and shadow, and the harmony of sounds. This represents a world of beauty that provides aesthetic pleasure, juxtaposed against its antithesis—the grotesque, which elicits disgust.

What unites philosophy and science? Also, the word—it is now a word-concept. Both seek truth as an adequate representation of objective reality, where everything is justified and refuted.