Abstract: The subject of the study is the fundamental aesthetic issue in Charles Baudelaire's philosophy of art. Such main topics as the symbolic concept of correspondences, the categories of beauty, high, ugly, issues of symbolization in art, imagination and fantasy, imagery and allegory, artistic conventions, synthesis of arts and synesthesia, the connection of art and nature are studied. In his artistic criticism of painting, sculpture, music, literature, drama Baudelaire advocates the ideals of romanticism, as opposed to positivism and naturalism, sharply criticizes the spirit of bourgeois art. The multi-aspect nature of the present study has predetermined the application of a number of methodological approaches: philosophical and aesthetic approach, art analysis, comparative, interdisciplinary methods. The main conclusion of the conducted study is the conclusion about Baudelaire's paradoxical aesthetic views, sharply contrasting with his ideally elevated aspiration to God in his philosophy of art and art criticism with his poetic creativity, "flowers of evil", and their demonic origin. It is shown which of the system-forming ideas of Baudelaire's philosophy of art do not lose their relevance today.A special contribution of the author to the study of the topic is that it is conducted on the original material, both the theoretical statements of Baudelaire and his analysis of various types and genres of art. The author introduces the previously unexplored aspects of early French symbolism into the domestic scientific circulation. 

Keywords: peinting, imagination, ugly, high, beauty, philosophy of art, aesthetics, sculpture, literature, music

Abstract: The article is devoted to the analysis of special features of perception and presentation of the conceptual apparatus of a famous Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin (1895–1975) in Russian academic society of the 2000s. The subject of the research is the terminological description of the main terms and definitions of Mikhail Bakhtin's academic language presented in 'Literary Encyclopedia of Terms and Definitions' (2001). In the course of her analysis of Bakhtin's works that are mostly related to the matter, the author of the article focuses on the means used by Bakhtin to understand and present his conceptual apparatus. The present research was based on the methods and traditions of Russian historical and sociological poetics as well as modern academic literary studies. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author defines several levels of interpretation of Mikhail Bakhtin's conceptual framework described in 'Literary Encyclopedia of Terms and Definitions'. Approaches offered in this article can be used in modern philological research to study particular Bakhtin's terms as well as his terminological apparatus in general. 

Keywords: terminological description, terminological features, interpretation, perception, Bakhtin studies, Russian literary criticism, heritage of Bakhtin, terminology, dialogicality, conceptual apparatus

Abstract: The paper proposes a brief analysis of aesthetical and philosophical views of an eminent Japanese enlightener of the Meiji period, Nishi Amane (1829-1897). The subject of the research is a theme of aesthetical views of this beurocrat-scientist, who made the first successful attempt to translate into Japanese the main philosophical concepts and their meanings. He managed to transfer the sense of Western philosophy and sociology to the Japanese. In fact, Nishi’s system of philosophy was aimed at the improvement of Neoconfucian metaphysics with the aid of Western knowledge: positive philosophy, and, partly, Utilitarianism. The author applied the methodology of correct describing and interpretation of concrete works by Nishi (empiric, hermeneutic methods), also dialectic method together with the principle of complementarity. Scientific novelty: for the first time in our country’s history of philosophy the original works on aesthetics by Nishi Amane had been translated and analyzed. The author concludes, that the Japanese enlightener strove for the adjustment of Western science to the traditional values of his native land. Combining ideas of Confucian moral thought with Western philosophical modernity, Nishi together with his colleagues created the basement of contemporary Japanese aesthetical and philosophical thought.

Keywords: classification of Sciences, Buddhism, neoconficianism, utilitarianism, positive philosophy, Meiji period, Japanese philosophy, Japanese aesthetics, Nishi Amane, Japanese enlightenment

Abstract: The subject of the research is the fundamental philosophical and aesthetical problem of existentialism concepts in the art of the 20th - 21st centuries and their verbal and visual expression. The author of the article pays special attention to transformations happening in existentialism, the theatre of the absurd, the theatre of cruelty, body-art, kinetic art, auteurism, theatre performances, happenings, and art-practices. Mankovskaya analyzes particular features of existential portraits based on the examples from Russian and foreign literature, dramaturgy, painting, cinematography, theatre, and actual art. The author of the article has selected art movements, personalities and artwork that represent the 20th - 21st centuries most of all. The fact that this research covers many aspects, the author had to apply a number of methodological approaches: philosophical-aesthetical approach, art analysis, comparative approach and interdisciplinary methods of research. The main conclusion of the research is that over the last century modifications of existential portrait took artistic shapes that corresponded to the philosophical and aesthetical content thereof, from myths, symbols, artistic image in modernism to post-modernism simulacrums and further to neomythologies and performance sketches of art-practices. Existential portrait still remains an important topic today because the Internet virual reality allows to create an existential portrait and self-portrait (profile picture). The author's special contribution to the topic is that she carried out her analysis based on original material. In her article Mankovskaya conducts a comparative analysis of verbal and visual existential portraits that can be found in all kinds of artistic types and genres. This is the first research of this kind in the academic literature.  portrait, existentialism, absurdism, simulacrum, neomythology, art-practicies, kinetic art, body-art, performance, virtual reality

Keywords: performance, body-art, kinetic art, art-practicies, neomythology, simulacrum, absurdism, existentialism, virtual reality, portrait

Abstract: The article is devoted to the development of one of the most discussed concepts in Hannah Arendt's creative work, her concept of the banality of evil. To trace back how the concept changed, the author of the aticle suggests that we shoud refer to modern arts. Based on the analysis of three art works by modern artists (Adolf Eichmann, Marlen Duma and Meggs Yeo) who had a dialogue with the concept of banality of evil, the author of the article describes the main transformations that have been happening to both the definition of the concept itself and the way it is perceived. The methodological  basis of the research has been defined by research aims and targets. The methodoloogy was based on comparative analysis. The concept of banality of evil has been verified using artwork analysis. The author of the article demonstrates how artists expanded and deepened the concept of banality of evil. At the end of the article the author concludes that despite critics of this term, it is still a very important one and even acquires additional meanings today. 

Keywords: philosophy, Adolf Eichmann, thinking, Banksy, the banality of the banality of evil, Marlen Duma, contemporary art, banality of evil, Hannah Arendt, Meggs Yeo

Abstract: The subject of the research is the peculiarities of introduction and perception of existential philosophy in Japan, in particular, the influence of the existential philosophic thought on Siina Rinzo’ works. The authors of the article state that within the Japanese culture a traditional attitude to a human being as a creature deeply involved in the natural and social world had been (at least up to the middle of the 20th c.) opposed to the Western one, taking a human being as an individual withdrawn into himself. Also, a considerable proximity can be found between existential and Buddhist mentalities which had favored the spread of existential philosophy in Japan. However, spreading of Capitalism in Japan led to strengthening of individualistic tendencies in Japanese society. Consequently, the main problem for existentially-oriented Japanese writers became “maintaining and determination of their own Self” (Jiga). The method of research: The empirico-hermeneutic methodology was applied: i. e. the method of correct description and interpretation of original sources; dialectical methodology supplemented with the principle of complementarity. Scientific novelty and conclusions: for the first time in Russian history of literature studies, the original texts both by Siina Rinzo (in the light of existential thought in Japan) and Japanese literature critics, texts by dedicated to Siina had been translated and analyzed; the authors also conclude that Siina’s existential motives are much closer to those of Dostoevsky than to the Western representatives of existentially-oriented literature. The characters in Siina’s works show obvious signs of their creator’s ethical striving which leads Siina to the ideals consonant to be ones of a Catholic representative of existentialism Gabriel Marcel.

Keywords: nihilism, individualism, Buddhism, Dostoevsky, Buddhist-Confucian tradition, the “Sengoha group”, Japan, Siina Rinzo, existential philosophy, person

Abstract: The subject of the research is the arts metaphysics of Josephin Peladan as a remarkable representative of the mysticism branch of the French objective symbolism, in particular, its Neo-Platonist Christian movement. Special attention is paid to his polemics with Lev Tolstoy, his analysis of Dante's creative work, ancient and modern dramaturgy and theatre. In her research Mankovskaya also analyzes Peladan's ideas about the relationship between art and religion, artistic creativity, aesthetic contemplation and pleasure, ideals of beauty, tragic, comic, aesthetic ideals, artisticity, essence of an artistic image, symbolization in art and anagogic mission of art. Such a great variety of aspects covered by the present research created the need to apply a number of methodological approaches such as art analysis, philosophical aesthetic approach, comparative and interdisciplinary methods. The main conclusions of the research is that Peladan's three hypostases as a symbolist, neoclassicist and esoteric create a paradoxical but organic unity. His thoughts on the nature of esoterics, particular artistic types and genres have one thing in common which is the idea of beauty, absolute ideal, undying values, spiritual and artistic components of art. Special contribution made by the author to the analysis of the topic is that she uses only original materials in her research. Mankovskaya introduces aspects and works of French symbolism that have never been studied before. Josephin Peladan's arts metaphysics is studied for the first time in the Russian academic literature, too. 

Keywords: articity, ideal, beauty, artist, theatre, literature, art, mysticism, symbolism, symbolyzation

Abstract: Franz Kafka’s creative work is described by the author of the article from the point of view of the milestones in his biography. The writer often said that one should not search for new ideas or universal explanations in his works. However, his own opinion did not prevent us from looking for allusions, parables, special meaning and ect. in his work. The present article coincides with the 90th anniversary of the writer’s death and shows that despite his scarce biography Franz Kafka knew life, society and human very well. He knew his surroundings were not joyful and therefore preferred the being inside himself. The author of the article has used the biographical method, i.e. narrative description of Kafka’s life as well as analytical, historical-cultural and comparative historical methods. Kafka’s tragedy is that he had to pay his life for discovering that absurdity was the norm of existence. He did not want to cope with the visible life and evident absurdities of life. He wanted to break free from the absurd world without ‘breaking’ the world itself but it was possible to do it only by breaking free from life in general.

Keywords: existence, life, creativity, game, human of the crowd, constructions, understanding, method, insight, loneliness.

Abstract: The article contains a philosophical analysis of the opposition between the shapeless and the form in Far Eastern esthetics compared to the opposition between the form and contents in the West. The author of the article studies concepts of classical Japanese esthetics describing the ‘body experience’, i.e. experience of integral knowledge of an individual about the inner order of the world continuum. The author also makes a conclusion about esthetics being the main component in the cultural identity of Japanese people.

Keywords: philology, form, shapeless, Japanese esthetics, cultural identity, Buddhism, Taoism, artistic tradition, Noh theatre, Heian period.

Abstract: The author of the article analyzes the most important problem of philosophy — the creativity problem. The author describes its peculiarities and involvement in the tragedy problem. The author also reconstructs Berdyaev’s mythologem about human and analyzes its basic provisions which have influenced the author’s understanding of creativity nature and creative vocation of human. The author also points out the central role of the ‘primary phenomenon’ of the tragic and defines the contents of Berdyaev’s theory of philosophy and esthetics which later influenced formation of his creativity concept in general and human tragedy in particular.

Keywords: philology, creativity, metaphysics, new anthropology, mythologem about human, godly mystery, tragic, tragedy of creativity, theurgy.

Abstract: The article traces back the history of esthetics in traditional Japan. The author tells us about the stages of formation of esthetic categories within development of Japanese traditional art. First of all, the author underlines the influence of Buddhism on Japanese traditional art and discusses the strong impression and impact made on Paris impressionists and post-impressions. The first bright impression of a new face of beauty — Japanese art — has been determining the process of interpretation of Oriental and Western cultures for quite a long time.

Keywords: philology, Aware, Yugen, Ukiyo, Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, art, esthetics, tradition.

Abstract: Followers of praxeological esthetics define a music composition as a form of intentional, contextually determined activity and opposes their approach to the classical esthetics viewing music as the esthetical phenomenon, on the one hand, and its interpretation of the concept of music composition, on the other. The author of the article criticizes and analyzes arguments which lay in the basis of the modal and ontological opposition. Firstly, the author concludes the opposition of the esthetics against ontology does not have as many grounds and rather farfetched. Secondly, the conclusion part of the article shows that interpretation of Aristotle’s distinction between practice and poesis as a strong opposition is not that correct. This is why the author of the article offers his own alternative interpretation.

Keywords: philology, praxeological esthetics, music composition, activity, poesis, esthetical concept of music, musical perception/performance, Aristotle, ontological status of a goal, Elliott.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the processes which were ongoing in a spiritual life of Japan during 1870-1930 when Japan was intensively adopting Western philosophy. Such adoption did not involve only conversance with foreign literature; it also laid foundation for the origin of scientific and philosophical terminologies in their native language. Two major study and research centers were created during that period – Institutes of Esthetics at the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, which gave an opportunity to consider the implicit esthetics of traditional Japan to b an essential part of the bright mosaic of the world esthetics.

Keywords: philology, philosophical Japanese esthetics, Japanese artistic tradition, the field of nothing, Institute of Esthetics at University of Tokyo, Kitaro Nishida, Buddha’s teaching, body synthesis, periods of Japanese esthetics, intuition of a practical deed.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the analysis of views of a major Japanese aesthetician Imamiti Tomonobu. It analyzes proto esthetical views of ancient Japanese and descries stages of development of Japanese esthetics as well as views of famous representatives of Japanese culture. Special attention is paid at ‘impersonality’ of Japanese spiritual tradition. The ‘continent’ culture taught Japanese that the true knowledge is not just a discourse system of verbally structured texts but some kind of a ‘heart response’ to vague images which are only to obtain material forms. Ancient masters taught their students not only to stamp forms but also to understand what is ‘above’, ‘before’, ‘outside’ and ‘above’ the form. The author of the article also underlines the lasting value of Far-Eastern experience in esthetics. At the present time the theory of esthetics needs not only discursive but also sensual or so-called ‘bodily’ way of thinking. Therefore, it can be very useful to study traditional Japanese esthetics and its ‘mind of the body’ priority.

Keywords: philology, Japanese esthetics, ‘mind of the body’, Imamiti Tomonobu, discursive knowledge, impersonality of Japanese culture, etymology of Japanese sense of beauty, ‘vegetal’ nature of Japanese esthetics, stages of development of Japanese esthetics, relation of esthetic and ethic aspects.