Popular Humor in the Post-Soviet Period

The question of the uniqueness [svoeobrazie] of Russian philosophy and its distinctive features has been around for more than a century. Since the 1840s, when Russian philosophers set about studying the history of philosophical thought in Russia, the question immediately arose as to whether one could speak of Russian philosophy as a distinctive [samobytnoe] and original phenomenon, or whether it would be more correct to speak of philosophy in Russia, i.e., the existence in Russia of philosophical ideas whose roots lay not in Russia but beyond its borders, while in Russia they are merely disseminated, but not born.     

The Asiatic Mode of Production in World History Perspective： From a Universal to a Particularistic View of History

关于马克思“亚细亚生产方式”的讨论,实质是普遍史观和特殊史观的关系问题。马克思立足于世界历史的视角,对亚细亚生产方式的思考和建构,经历了一个从普遍史观到特殊史观的过程;而从俄国革命所提供的“俄国道路”与“俄国方式”到斯大林的社会发展“五形态说”,恰恰经历了一个从特殊史观到普遍史观的回归。在建构中国史观的过程中,中国历史发展模式和现实发展经验、马克思社会形态理论和晚年东方社会思想以及俄国十月革命所开启的“俄国道路”和“体制嬗变”是三个不可或缺的重要元素。     

论俄罗斯思想的语言维度

俄罗斯思想作为俄罗斯民族意识的表达存在多个维度。潜藏于俄罗斯文学之中的俄罗斯思想为人们提供了认识生活秘密的视角;而对于历史文本而言,俄罗斯思想隐藏于"莫斯科-第三罗马"的话语之中。但构成上述维度的源文本是语言,所以语言维度是打开俄罗斯思想作为哲学思维之门的一把钥匙。文章通过对俄语"思想"一词的词源和意义的深度探索来分析俄罗斯思想的哲学叙事和日常生活叙事两种功能。     

George Reavey's "Treatment" of Soviet Poetry

Two large anthologies of Russian Soviet poetry have appeared in New York in rapid succession. The texts are given parallel in the Russian and English languages. Recently this has become an established procedure in the West in editions intended for readers who love poetry and understand that verse has to be read in the original. The number of people in the world who have some knowledge of Russian is constantly increasing, and enthusiasm for Soviet poetry is growing along with an interest in our country and in the language "spoken by Lenin." The advantages of "bilingualism" to the reader are readily understandable. It enables him to evaluate or at least to deepen his sense of the authenticity and artistic success of the translation, which gives the Russian poem life in another language.     

The New Educational Standards and Textbooks on the History of This Country

Conflicting opinions in Russia on how to view Russian history in general, and the role of Stalin in particular, raise the issue of how to treat painful subjects in school textbooks. As a key goal of education is to inspire students, it is understandable that Russian textbook authors, like those in other countries, may prefer to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.     

The Life Values of the Russian Population

Based on the results of an international comparison, today's average Russian is characterized by a higher degree of caution (or even fear) and a more pronounced need to be protected by a strong state; and is an individual who has less need for novelty, creativity, freedom, and independence and is less inclined to take risks. At the same time, Russians exhibit a strong sense of self-interest, personal success, and power rather than concern for others, which may be the result of a rapid abandonment of Soviet welfarism. In general, though, data do not show Russians to be uniquely submissive to authority. Magun and Rudnev conclude that the current balance between the values of competitive individualism and solidarity in Russian society is not optimal.     

构建和谐社会思想对社会认识的深化

从三位一体到四位一体的转变其新意主要在于,增添了关于社会建设和社会和谐的内容,而这里所说的社会是狭义的。马克思主义的唯物史观属于广义的社会观;而社会学作为一门具体的社会科学则属于狭义的社会观。二者之间作为人类认识社会的不同角度或方式,有区别也可以互补。从广义的社会观向狭义的社会观转变是对社会认识的深化,在理论上还有许多工作要做:首先,马克思和恩格斯在狭义上使用社会概念,具体地分析社会问题的思想需要挖掘;其次,西方社会学研究社会问题的行之有效的方法和技术需要吸收;再者,中国共产党建设革命根据地,特别是在全国执政50多年的经验教训需要总结。     

The Nature of the Cutaneous Optical Sense in Man

The first data on the sense that might be termed cutaneous optical appeared in the Russian scholarly literature at the end of the 19th century. (10) A Tambov physician, A. I. Khovrin, studied a patient who read ordinary printed and written text with her fingers and was able to identify colors of papers and fabrics in the same way.     

Is the Future more or less Human? Differing Views of Humanness in the Posthumanism Debate

A debate has emerged in the bioethics literature about the use of biotechnology to modify human nature. A failure to define humanness has produced conceptual confusion in this debate. We draw upon recent social psychological work on folk concepts of humanness and dehumanization to analyse the understandings of humanness that underpin the rival positions. We argue that advocates and opponents of human nature modification employ distinct conceptions of humanness, and that their differing evaluations of modification make sense in light of these conceptions. Advocates view modification as the enhancement of a non‐essentialist sense of humanness that takes us further from animal nature. Opponents view it as the loss of an essentialist sense of humanness that takes us closer to a robotic state. Recognition that humanness has multiple senses implies that there is no mutually exclusive choice between seeing the outcome of modification as a quantitative gain in humanness or a fundamental, qualitative loss of it.     

Stigma: An Insider's View

The literature on stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination has typically focused on the ways dominant groups negatively view and respond to minority groups. We suggest an insider's perspective to focus attention on the stereotyped or stigmatized ingroup's responses, experiences, and beliefs and the paradox of being both an active constructor of one's everyday reality and an involuntary target of negative attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs that shape this reality. We propose that an insider's perspective affords a view of stigmatized groups as actively seeking to make sense of their social world and attain positive outcomes, not simply avoid negative outcomes. In this sense, an insider's perspective acknowledges that stigmatized groups are not simply victims or passive recipients of stereotyping but rather actively attempt to construct a buffering life space.     

对形式主义、结构主义的批评与反思(上)

新时期以来,对于西方学术思想的介绍取得了很大成绩,但也存在一个问题,即许多介绍都不是立体的.立体性研究对于深入了解西方学术思想十分重要.俄国形式主义的领头人什克洛夫斯基1982年写了一本与其20年代的书同名的<散文理论>.他抛弃了当年贬斥内容的纯形式观点,承认了知人论世的重要性,甚至还承认了所谓永恒真理对于艺术的重要性,还强调了解时代、斗争与革命对于理解作品的重要性.与当年相比,什克洛夫斯基的政治立场与文学观的变化是巨大的.对于结构主义,什克洛夫斯基的态度是总体否定,但也有部分肯定.他还批评了结构主义不问实质只看表面相似的分类法,其实不问实质的缺点俄国形式主义就存在.俄国形式主义是回避本质,只看现象的.他又批评结构派滋生了许多术语,但滋生术语的情况在俄国形式主义那里也存在.英美新批评是与结构主义文学批评亲缘关系最近的流派,它们都是形式主义流派,都以作品为中心,都忽视作者.当然区别也是明显的,新批评注目于文本的细读,注重对意义的阐述与艺术的分析,而结构主义则研究作品是如何组织的、其叙事方式与话语方式如何.与韦勒克从统一性上看待布拉格学派和结构主义的关系不同的是,坚持英美新批评立场的乔纳森·卡勒,则对结构主义文学观作出了尖锐的批评,生动地体现了一种多元并存,又相互斗争的图景.乔纳森·卡勒的英美新批评派的立场是十分坚定的,他是站在英美文学传统的立场,坚持新批评派的观点,并以自外于以至于批判结构主义的态度来讲话的,所谓<结构主义诗学>,不过是划出了他讨论的范围,并非是他本人主张的表达.热奈特同意叙述作品可以从诸如思想性等角度来研究,实际上他是仍然坚持内容与形式的分离论的.托多罗夫对结构主义文学观的三个重要问题:释义与结构的关系、结构与文学史的关系、结构与审美的关系,作出了阐述,既力图维护结构主义文学观的一些基本论点,又想对遭人指责的无法辩解的缺点加以弥补,生动地体现了、典型地代表了叙述学兴起与建立的过程大体结束之际,叙述学家们的理论表现及其心态.托多罗夫将释义与诗学看成相互游离的两个方面,他的论述前后矛盾,反映了结构主义文学观的困境.由于结构主义诗学的内向性难以被克服,不能解决诸如与文学史、美学等方面的关系.由此,托多罗夫应对指责、弥补缺陷,以建立结构主义诗学的壮志,不得不伤感地陨灭了.     

对形式主义、结构主义的批评与反思(下)

新时期以来,对于西方学术思想的介绍取得了很大成绩,但也存在一个问题,即许多介绍都不是立体的。立体性研究对于深入了解西方学术思想十分重要。俄国形式主义的领头人什克洛夫斯基1982年写了一本与其20年代的书同名的《散文理论》。他抛弃了当年贬斥内容的纯形式观点,承认了知人论世的重要性,甚至还承认了所谓永恒真理对于艺术的重要性,还强调了解时代、斗争与革命对于理解作品的重要性。与当年相比,什克洛夫斯基的政治立场与文学观的变化是巨大的。对于结构主义,什克洛夫斯基的态度是总体否定,但也有部分肯定。他还批评了结构主义不问实质只看表面相似的分类法,其实不问实质的缺点俄国形式主义就存在。俄国形式主义是回避本质,只看现象的。他又批评结构派滋生了许多术语,但滋生术语的情况在俄国形式主义那里也存在。英美新批评是与结构主义文学批评亲缘关系最近的流派,它们都是形式主义流派,都以作品为中心,都忽视作者。当然区别也是明显的,新批评注目于文本的细读,注重对意义的阐述与艺术的分析,而结构主义则研究作品是如何组织的、其叙事方式与话语方式如何。与韦勒克从统一性上看待布拉格学派和结构主义的关系不同的是,坚持英美新批评立场的乔纳森.卡勒,则对结构主义文学...     

The experience of gender dysphoria for pre‐pubescent children and their families: a review of the literature

In recent years, the experience of gender dysphoria has gained public prominence through an explosion of sensationalized interest in the popular media. However, childhood gender dysphoria remains poorly understood and both parents and children often find themselves having to educate professionals around them. This not only creates a sense of disconnect between family and professionals, but also means that social workers can often be unaware of the myriad of competing perspectives that seek to explain gender variance. This review of the literature seeks to provide interested social workers with an overview of gender dysphoria, current research in the field and theoretical paradigms, with a view to promoting understanding and better practice with families in this little understood field.     

俄罗斯主导法律观的演变及当代变革

在俄罗斯法治进程中,受国家制度变革的影响,不同时期主导性法律观存在较为明显的差异,从十月革命前到苏联时期,再到当代俄罗斯联邦,主导性法律观在历时态上展现出一个演变过程。宗教因素在一定程度上主导十月革命前法律观念,政治因素则成为苏联时期法律观念的风向标,当代俄罗斯受理性主义法律思想的影响,社会因素成为法律观念考虑的主要成分。与前两个阶段相比,当代俄罗斯法律观根本性的转变,基于理论基本立场变化,法律工具论色彩淡化,法律的阶级属性让位给社会性,人本化的法律价值取向正在形成。     

Social Values and the Political Process in Russia

The view that Russian consciousness has become lumpenized, a process retrospectively equated with the shift to the left or the "red shift" visible in the December 1995 elections, has been quite popular recently in the mass media and in the scientific literature. Can this actually be happening to the world views of our fellow citizens? What do they support and what do they oppose, in particular in regard to elections for representative bodies of government?     

网络泛娱乐倾向的文化反思

从媒介文化发展的视角看,网络出现泛娱乐文化倾向,张扬感官满足,悬置人文理性,忽略历史与社会意识,使网络文化缺少应有的理性深度、历史维度及超越精神。网络媒介技术以主体感官为主宰对象的功能偏失,使网络主体对技术效果尤其是感官满足效果产生依赖与迷恋,从而削弱了其文化反思能力、否定能力及超越能力。网络传媒强大的消费娱乐导向,集中体现了新媒介文化的商业化。网络泛娱乐倾向中的文化偏失提醒我们,网络文化亟须加强人文理性建设,走出娱乐至上的文化误区。     

Behavioral responses and the distributional effects of the Russian ‘flat’ tax

This paper simulates the distributional impact of the Russian personal income tax (PIT) following the flat tax reform of 2001 using data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey. I decompose the change in the distribution of net income into a direct (tax) effect and an indirect effect. The indirect effect is further decomposed into evasion and productivity effects using existing estimates of these respective elasticities. As expected, the direct tax effect increased net income inequality. Changes in the pre-tax distribution (indirect effect), on the other hand, had a large negative impact on inequality thus leading to an overall decline in net income inequality. I also find that the tax-induced evasion response increased reported net income inequality while reducing consumption inequality. To the extent that consumption approximates actual income, these results demonstrate that the flat tax reform had a much smaller effect on actual income inequality than on reported income inequality. More importantly, relative to non-tax factor, the reform had little overall effect on income inequality. This suggests that objection to flatter tax schedules on the grounds of income inequality is mostly misguided, especially in transitional countries with high levels of evasion.     

Human Motivation in Question: Discussing Emotions,Motives, and Subjectivity from a Cultural‐Historical Standpoint

Vygotsky, at the end of his life, advanced a new representation of a psychological system that was ruled by a cognitive‐emotional unity, a theorization that remains inconclusive due to Vygotsky's early death. This article discusses the advances made by Vygotsky in the comprehension of human motivation through his concepts of sense and perezhivanie at the end of his work. Through these concepts, he further advanced the discussion of motivation, despite the fact that these concepts have only very recently been considered a relevant part of his legacy in both Russian and Western psychology. This paper discusses the departure from and the historical presentations of the concept of motive in the following two main approaches of Soviet psychology that were mistakenly equated in Western interpretations: Vygotsky's approach, mainly at the first as last moment of his work, and Leontiev's Activity Theory. Based on the final theoretical positions of Vygotsky and of other Soviet authors, and further developing this legacy, this article proposes a new definition of motivation as a specific quality of subjectively configured systems and defines motive as intrinsic to the functioning of all psychological function defines subjective functions as subjectively configured processes. This new proposal of human motivation within a new way of defining subjectivity defines new categories as subjective senses and subjective configurations on which the author bases a specific approach for advancing the topic of subjectivity and motivation within a cultural‐historical framework.     

Introduction to "The Diary of Anne Frank"

This is Ehrenburg's foreword to the Russian translation of the widely known record of a young Jewish girl growing up in Nazi-occupied Holland. It was recently issued (August 1960) by the Foreign Literature Publishing House in Moscow.     

关于法律解释的概念问题

文章认为狭义的法律解释只不过是法律解释的一种,即仅指国家授权的一定机关对法律作的有相对的普遍约束力的解释,而不是法律解释的全部。如果用这种法律解释的概念取代人们通常理解的法律解释的概念(或所谓广义的法律解释的概念),势必引起许多无谓的争论。承认狭义的法律解释的概念,既无必要又有害处。法律解释按照解释主体的不同,可以分为有权解释、学理解释和任意解释。