The Supreme Goal of Moral Practice in the N.G. Debolsky's Ethical Theory
The article considers the ethical concept of N. G. Debolskiy (1842– 1918), an idealist philosopher who created a system of phenomenal formalism, based on the unification of the philosophy of nature, metaphysics and ethics. Particular attention is focused on the identification of specific content and specific signs of the «supreme goal» of a person’s moral activity; reveals the hierarchy of «supreme goals» and its direct interaction with lower goals, which determines human activity. The highest goal of human moral activity is manifested as the self-preservation of the subject, by which society is understood. Significant is the concept of «nation», which, in the opinion of N. G. Debolskiy, identical to the concept of «nationality». The Russian thinker believed that the people is an indivisible social union that is able to unite different people on the basis of common moral principles, acquired through spiritual and moral self-identification, the proper choice of goals, and the appropriate moral education. The interrelation between the nationality and morality is established, manifested as the unity of moral beliefs and national self-consciousness, which allows us to conclude that N. G. Debolsky, within the framework of his ethical concept, created the «philosophy of the nation», which is of interest for modern philosophical research, including within the framework of the historical and philosophical direction.
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