Polischuk, V. I. The Concept of ‘Measure’ in Nicholas’ of Cusa Philosophy of Culture

Abstract: As a rule, measure is not viewed in terms of cultural studies. At the same time, the author of the present article believes that the concept of measure may explain many cultural phenomena. For example, it is quite obvious that culture is some kind of a measure of human existence. Nicholas of Cusa did not isolate measure as an individual object of cognition. However, he often used the concept of measure in his philosophy to define other concepts such as ‘academic ignorance’, ‘absolute maximum’ and ‘non-other’. Although, his concept of the absolute or ‘most accurate measure of all substances’ has a certain delicate feature which the philosopher implied but did not consider it necessary to focus on it. In his research Polischuk has used the rules of deductive and inductive logic, applicable analytical procedures, hermeneutic and phenomenological methods. ‘Academic ignorance’ is necessary to understand ‘nothing’ as the absolute unity and measure of existence. What existence? The author replies – human existence, i.e. existence of culture. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the entire teaching of Nicholas of Cusa refers to philosophy of culture and ontology of culture, in particular.

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