Logic, methodology and philosophy of science VIII proceedings of the eighth international congress of logic, methodology and philosophy of science, and philosophy of science proceedings) ( PDFDrive ) 22

J.E Fenstad et al., eds., Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science VIII Elsevier Science Publishers B.V (1989) 3-25 PHILOSOPHY,SCIENCE AND MAN PYOTR FEDOSEYEV Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow, USSR Science as a concentrated and theoretically systematised experience of humanity, as an organic product of its culture, has in the 20th century been exerting an ever greater influence on the development of man and society Hence, philosophical reflection has to comprehend the development of knowledge in the context of that interaction In our epoch, the philosophy of science is increasingly oriented to analysing the growing role of scientific and technical progress in the life of man and society, inasmuch as the dynamic character of modern social development is largely a result of the scientific and technological revolution Philosophical knowledge, regardless of the subjects it deals with, has always turned, or returned, to man Although some philosophical theories tackled being in general, they all have ultimately concentrated on the problems of the being of man If philosophy was founded on the spiritual principle, right up to the absolute spirit, according to Hegel, it absolutised and projected human consciousness, man’s spiritual creation on to the world When the material principle is taken as the basis, an analysis leads, in some way or other, to an understanding of the objective conditions of man’s existence and development Both the sciences of nature and those of society are essentially aimed at studying the world around man, and the natural or social conditions of his being and development Geology or astronomy seem to study our planet Earth or the Universe without any connections with man, but the results and data produced by these sciences are of vital significance for man It is precisely this circumstance that has given a powerful impetus to their progress In Marxist philosophy the social and humanitarian significance of science is regarded as its basic characteristic Science is considered as