Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean and A.E. Kulakovsky’s Idea of the Middle Way: The Points of Contact
The article describes the essence of Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean and Alexey Kulakovsky’s idea of the middle way and presents a comparative analysis of their substantive provisions. To this end, it reveals the functional link between the social, political, economic, spiritual and moral factors of formation, functioning and development of the middle class. Relating to the modern Russian society, we updated Aristotle’s teaching on the implementation of the doctrine of the mean and A. Kulakovsky’s idea of cultivization. According to Aristotle, choosing «the golden mean» in all manifestations of life is a virtue, which is implemented in two ways: intelligent (theoretical) and sensual-strong-willed (practical) He understands philosophy to be the unity of both theoretical and practical. Highlighting «the quadrium of philosophical disciplines»: Ethics, Politics, Rhetoric, and Poetics, Aristotle relates them to the practical philosophy. Thus, Ethics teaches virtues to individuals, and Politics - to the society (state). Rhetoric acquaints with the art of persuasion, and Poetics aims to teach the understanding of beautiful. In its turn, A.E. Kulakovsky’s cultivization can be called the practical philosophy. There is a reason to believe that both Aristotle and A.E. Kulakovsky indicate the ways of developing and implementing the practice-oriented philosophy, so much needed in the higher education today.