The first issue of the journal came out in 1958. It was founded by the Ministry of Higher Education of the USSR (later renamed the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education). The journal was then called the Scientific Reports of Higher Education. Philosophical Sciences. Chief editor was M.T. Iovchuk, his deputies were G.S. Vasetski and L.N. Suvorov.
The journal’s mission, as stated on the pages of its first issue, read as follows:
“The journal will publish: scientific articles, reports, and announcements on the results of new research in philosophical sciences (dialectial materialism, logic, philosophical problems of natural sciences, historical materialism, ethics and art, history of philosophy). The journal will also print materials of philosophical discussions in higher education, overviews and reviews of philosophical literature”.
Starting from 1962 the journal had already 6 issues annually. Its name transformed as well, and the words “Philosophical Sciences” were moved to the front. Now the cover reads, “Philosophical Sciences (Scientific Reports of Higher Education)”.
On the journal’s eleventh year of existence, in issue No. 3 of 1968, the editorial board describes the journal in the following words (they perfectly convey the spirit of that time):
The Journal of Philosophical Sciences provides extensive coverage of the latest achievements in Marxist-Leninist philosophy and sociology, ethics, aesthetics, scientific atheism theory, logic, philosophical problems of natural sciences, history of philosophy. Significant place is given to the materials on the philosophical problems of scientific communism. The journal publishes articles criticizing anticommunism, reformism, right and “left” opportunism, modern bourgeois philosophy and sociology...
The journal gave much of its volume to reviews and overviews of Soviet philosophical literature, information on collected works from higher education institutions, and scientific notes.
The journal provides extensive coverage to scientific life in the USSR and abroad, scientific results of congresses, conferences and symposia in philosophy and sociology. In 1968 the journal published materials for the 15th International Philosophical Congress in Vienna.
Materials published in the journal are of great interest to scientific workers, teachers, postgraduates and students of higher education institutions, as well as lecturers, propagandists, and people, who study Marxist-Lenininst philosophy themselves.
In 1970 Vladimir Spiridonovich Gott becomes the journal’s chief editor. In the 1970s the journal employs V.N. Shevchenko as deputy Chief Editor, and D.I. Dubrovskiy as Department Head. Both actively cooperate with the journal to this day. A.A. Pruzhinina becomes the journal’s executive secretary, which post she still occupies now.
In 1987 the journal gets a current title – “Philosophical Sciences” – and becomes a monthly periodical. The editorial board then includes: V.S. Gott is a chief editor, V.N. Shevchenko is a deputy chief editor, D.I. Dubrovski, A.T. Pavlov, V.I. Svintsov, I.B. Chistyakova are department editors, A.A. Pruzhinina is an executive secretary.
After the death of V.S. Gott in 1991, he is replaced by Yuriy Alekseyevich Zinevich as a chief editor.
In 1992 the journal faces financial barriers due to the financial crisis in Russia. The editorial board struggles to save the periodical, they succeed, but the journal becomes a quarterly. It will not be a monthly until 2004. In 1995 the Academy for Research into the Humanities becomes the journal’s co-founder.
Today the journal’s editorial board is headed by V.S. Styopin, its editorial council by A.A. Guseynov. Its Editor-in-Chief is Kh.E. Marinosyan. Its executive secretary is A.A. Pruzhinina.
