A human being in search of lost identity: between past and future

About the author:

Mikhail N. Shcherbinin,

Abstract:

The present article discusses the generic essence of a human being and
the whole mankind. In the 20th century the latest version of the insight into the human
essence stems from the philosophy of the Russian thinker N.A. Berdyaev. Speaking
of the generic essence, we show the historical, genetic and cognitive-intellectual
limitations of this branch of self-discovery. Therefore, another line — the formation
and deployment of all mankind essence is seen as much more promising in the literal
and figurative sense. In this case, the potential infinity of human nature, the infinity
of its quantitative and qualitative dynamics, its individual and social singularity,
and creative diversity of infinite formation of human nature in general is revealed
best of all. By and large, it is extremely significant nowadays when we do realize the
astrophysical infinity of the world.
Simultaneously, the very aesthetic-anthropological aspect of this creative activity
is being formed (and being studied here in particular). Along with infinite performance
of human essence we are aware of, diversity of transition from its (essence) reality
to its potentials is being considered. Therefore, special attention is paid to arts and
crafts, where self-creative search is most significant and variable, most ingenious, not
«stifled» by the existing set of purely objective reality.
Also, in the flow of creative individuation, self-actualization, creative self of essence
we reveal the presence, or, on the contrary, the absence of the human self. This issue,
in our view, today calls for further consideration and development.

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