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Diatribe Tradition of Philosophy in A.V. Potyomkin’s Conception


(Rostov-on-Don)

The article is devoted to the contribution of A.V. Potyomkin’s theory of diatribe tradition to the explanation of
philosophy and its origin. His approach considers being innovative in the context of existing theories of raising of philosophic
thought. Diatribe tradition is a form of philosophy fi xed in the education and ideology and existing in textbooks,
handbooks, dictionaries and encyclopedias. Potyomkin described its main features: metaphysical form, speculative logic,
idealism. Such quality of popular philosophy is useful for ideological holding of social discipline and power. The article
reveals that philosophy specifi cs came to stay in its genesis, so it must be explicated historically and concrete. Diatribe
tradition based on defi nition that puts philosophy as a science or knowledge about “beginnings” (ἀρχή) or as a general
science above other particular sciences. Aristotle had put this tenet for the fi rst time and philosophers reproduced it. The
reason, which explains reality in a manner of “beginnings” is a primitive and mythological mind. Therefore, diatribe
tradition in philosophy conserves an archaic mode of thinking; however, it used to modernize Aristotle’s doctrine. The
article explicates Potyomkin’s theses that there is no science in antiquity in the strict sense; therefore, it is impossible to
translate Aristotle ἐπιστήμη as “scientifi c knowledge”, “science”. Aristotle’s thought is archaic and is a rational mythology.
Philosophical knowledge is a theoretical form of ancient wisdom. Reproducing of Aristotle’s principle by diatribe
philosophy means to restore an archaic logic in advanced mode of speculative thought, e.g. as Hegel’s system does. The
article shows that philosophy is a historical form of consciousness and a pure product of division of physical and intellectual
labor. There is a connection between philosophy and politics, between social structure and cultural form, where
philosophers keep on performing roles of priest or mentor in cognition, communication and ideology. Diatribe approach
is applicable in the studies of modern philosophy and its cultural functions.
diatribe tradition, mythology, origin of philosophy, Aristotle

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