This article examines the problem of the specificity and functions of mental control from two main perspectives: (1) from the standpoint of natural scientific explanation; (2) within a socio-psychological and socio-humanitarian context. The first approach employs an information-based framework to address the question of how phenomena of subjective reality can serve as causes of physical changes. The distinction between informational and physical causality is elucidated, providing a justification for psychic (mental) causality as a form of informational causality. Within this context, the article discusses issues of information encoding and decoding, recent advances in neuroscience regarding the deciphering of brain codes for mental phenomena, and pertinent results from genomics. The author explores the significance of these developments for substantiating free will and self-determination processes, as well as for developing new artificial intelligence systems capable of emulating natural intelligence functions. Building upon these foundations, the second aspect of the discussion examines the role of mental control in interpersonal and mass communications, as well as in the functioning of institutional entities. To this end, the article investigates the relationships between individual consciousness and mass, institutional consciousness, the importance of national leadership in extreme situations, the phenomenon of polysubjectivity, and related questions concerning the optimal balance between centralization and autonomization of control mechanisms. The author demonstrates the inevitability of overcoming the principle of monopolarity, which inhibits autonomization functions and thereby undermines the foundations of global social self-organization. Finally, the article briefly addresses a number of salient issues pertaining to the meaning, objectives, and outcomes of mental control acts, as well as their socio-humanitarian implications and evaluation.

The article explores the evolution of the idea of correlating numbers and meanings, from ancient numerological systems to modern models of natural language processing based on vector representations and neural networks. The authors demonstrate that the aspiration to uncover hidden properties of objects by associating them with numbers and performing operations on these numbers has been a common thread across various cultures for millennia. The article traces the stages in the formation of the concept of mathesis universalis (universal mathematics), starting from Aristotle and Proclus’s reflections on general mathematics and culminating in R. Descartes’s ideas about the existence of a universally applicable science of order and measure. Particular attention is devoted to G.W. Leibniz’s ambitious project of creating a universal characteristic – a formalized language in which all knowledge could be precisely expressed and logical inference could be carried out through calculations. It is noted that, despite inherent limitations, some of Leibniz’s intuitions have found embodiment in natural language processing technologies based on vector representations of words. However, the simple correlation of concepts with vectors is insufficient for the full realization of the idea of a calculus of reasoning, as it lacks a mechanism for deriving true statements from others. The development of the transformer architecture, which employs the mechanism of self-attention to construct context-dependent vector representations, has been a significant stride towards the automation of reasoning. Nevertheless, modern language models are based on the principle of maximizing likelihood rather than rigorous logical rules. The authors analyze conceptual solutions proposed for creating a comprehensive calculus of knowledge. In conclusion, it is emphasized that, while the idea of reducing reasoning to mathematical operations is undeniably attractive, one should be cautious about its maximalist interpretations. Cognition is constructive in nature, and even the most perfect model of formalization of reasoning cannot substitute for the practical wisdom and freedom of human thought.

The fundamental ontology of the phenomenon of education remains an insufficiently developed scientific problem. However, it serves as the foundation for the science of education, enabling it to transcend its purely applied and quotidian nature and finally attain the genuine status of a science. Fundamental ontology provides the support and substantiation for the concepts developed by science for its own purposes. This is precisely what characterizes science as science. Previously, I developed a part of the fundamental ontology of education, which I termed the instituting ontology. It includes such basic structural forms as ontological essence and relation to truth, primary constituents (universals), and non-Kuhnian paradigms, which comprise three dimensions: justificatory, universal, and paradigmatic. In the present work, the subject of my research is the anthropo-positing ontology of the phenomenon of education, in which two dimensions are distinguished: the existential-transcendental and the human-world dimensions. This article briefly examines the first dimension, which characterizes the educational movement of humans toward their essence, designated as the path to oneself. The starting point is the question of choosing authentic methods of scientific-cognitive activity for various groups of students. It is demonstrated how an individual’s problem-cognitive program illuminates the path to oneself in the sense of seeking and constructing the human foundation. Explanations are provided for the essence of the concepts “problem-cognitive program” and “non-Kuhnian paradigms,” which are necessary for understanding the presented ontological conception. The article outlines the fundamental categories of the existential-transcendental dimension of the phenomenon of education, which are defined as self-knowledge, self-expression, the spiritual, and the moral. In the category of self-knowledge, the opposition between individualization and individuation is presented, while in the category of self-expression, the opposition between reproductive and productive cognition is explored. The category of the spiritual characterizes the essence of the sphere of the spiritual in the individual and the sphere of the spiritual in the nation. It is shown that the spiritual represents the constitutive principle of personality, but not of the human being as such. The highest essential principle of the human being as such is the moral, which plays a unifying role in the quaternary of the existential-transcendental dimension of the fundamental ontology of education.

The article elucidates the pivotal role of philosophical knowledge in nurturing students’ capacity for scientific creativity. Grounded in D.B. Bogoyavlenskaya’s typology of cognition levels (stimulus-productive, heuristic, and creative), the authors illustrate that authentic creativity is not merely tied to the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge but is deeply rooted in personal engagement with science and the primacy of cognitive motivation. The decisive factor in sculpting a scientist’s creative potential lies in their immersion in the culture of philosophical thought, characterized by its pursuit of the universal, critical reflection on the foundations of cognition, and problematization of the apparent. Drawing from the experience of teaching philosophy to students in the natural sciences, the article showcases the significance of philosophical practices and pedagogical approaches that inspire students to creatively grapple with scientific quandaries within the context of cultural universals. Firstly, it emphasizes the cultivation of a culture of understanding as a process of grasping the essence of the phenomena under study. The importance of hermeneutic approaches and engaging with philosophical texts to deepen understanding is accentuated. Secondly, it highlights the refinement of communication skills and the experience of collective discourse as a mechanism for objectifying individual ideas and insights. Thirdly, it stresses the nurturing of independence and initiative in thinking, as well as personal investment in the research process, which constitute the bedrock of genuine scientific creativity. The culmination should be the emergence of a personality imbued with a culture of seeking the universal within the particular, equipped with sophisticated skills in categorical thinking, and enriched by the experience of philosophical reflection on the boundaries of entrenched paradigms of perceiving reality. The challenges and prospects of implementing the proposed model of philosophical engagement are examined, taking into account the social challenges of the information society and the psychological idiosyncrasies of the current generation of students. The authors arrive at the conclusion that philosophy, as the methodological nucleus of university education, ensures the integrity and openness of scientific knowledge, establishing the foundational value orientations and guiding principles for the creative endeavors of a future scientist.

The widespread adoption of new technologies has led to changes in worldview that impact the effectiveness of education and require new forms of teaching. This article demonstrates that the loss of academic motivation, growing pragmatism, and emerging new ethics characteristic of the current generation of students, loosely referred to as millennials, contradict the fundamental principles of research activities. The author notes that research-based education with the creation of a generative environment and problem-based learning is the most reasonable strategy in the natural sciences, engineering, and applied research. However, creating an analogue of this type of education in the humanities appears problematic due to the specifics of the studied objects. Although philosophy cannot be reduced to research, research-based education in its goals and declared educational ideals largely converges with philosophy. However, this convergence risks an unjustified pragmatization of philosophical knowledge, understanding philosophy only as a method and tool for better mastering other disciplines. This is most clearly demonstrated by a teaching strategy based on the use of philosophical games. The article analyzes the strategy of two types of philosophical games and other features of these games that develop critical thinking; it compares the educational goals declared by the developers (including the rationale for their relevance and compliance with the chosen teaching methodology) and the results obtained, according to the participants’ feedback. It also argues that, although philosophical games develop imagination and the ability to precisely formulate and defend theoretical positions, they do not presuppose a research position either from the point of view of the object (which turns out to be random and changes during the game) or from the point of view of the subject. The author introduces the concept of “natural generative environment,” emphasizes the importance of the axiological aspect of philosophy, and suggests paying attention to a number of existing strategies for teaching philosophy that are oriented toward this environment and partially solve the problems associated with the formation of a new type of worldview.

The author argues that moral education is a complex phenomenon to comprehend. Both its theoretical understanding and the transmission of relevant skills to the younger generation pose significant challenges. In contemporary Russia, there is an evident demand for moral education. The society’s interest in the moral development of the individual was first embodied in the emergence of the “Concept of Spiritual and Moral Development and Education of the Personality of a Citizen of Russia,” followed by the creation of a special educational discipline for elementary schools, “Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics,” which has been taught for over a decade. The author asserts that currently, the discipline has been established, many of the initial concerns expressed about it have not been justified, and the discipline has become one of the familiar subjects for schoolchildren. However, the main problem lies in the fact that both pedagogical circles and representatives of public opinion have ceased to seek ways to improve the opportunities for spiritual and moral education in secondary schools, although such a subject area requires constant discussion of its content in relation to the rapidly changing conditions of modern life. The author primarily draws attention to the “Secular Ethics” block and proposes various ways to improve its content and teaching methods. Unfortunately, the current program largely fails to take into account domestic and foreign experience in developing the theory of moral development. The very title “secular ethics” is criticized as misleading regarding the possibility of dividing ethics based on religiosity. The article emphasizes the need to shift from the authoritarian transmission of ready-made moral prescriptions to focusing on developing students’ independent moral thinking, as well as their ability to make reasoned judgments and take actions. The author recommends more active use of interactive forms of lessons, group discussions, and case analyses that stimulate genuine student interest in moral issues. Ethical reflection should aid in the meaningful acceptance of value norms and the formation of a personal moral stance.

The monograph At the Crossroads of Ages: Choosing a Strategy for Building the Future by Belarusian philosopher P.A. Vodopyanov, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, presents a comprehensive and thought-provoking study focused on identifying and analyzing strategies that contribute to achieving a sustainable and secure future for humanity. In the face of escalating global challenges, such as ecological crises, the depletion of natural resources, and the looming threat of pandemic diseases, the author highlights the critical need to fundamentally rethink and transform the prevailing anthropocentric approach to nature. P.A. Vodopyanov advocates for a profound shift from the consumerist ideology that has long dominated modern society to the cultivation of a new type of mentality and morality, emphasizing the paramount importance of aligning economic activities with the intricate laws governing the evolution of the biosphere. The author delves into the complex problems surrounding the preservation of the biosphere, illuminating its remarkable resilience and the crucial role of maintaining biological diversity in ensuring its stability. Central to P.A. Vodopyanov’s argument is the assertion that understanding and incorporating the intricate mechanisms that underpin the stability of the biosphere into environmental policy is of utmost importance in preventing environmental degradation and maintaining the delicate balance of the biosphere. These mechanisms include the hierarchical organization of living systems, the presence of redundant and backup elements, and the homeostatic processes that enable organisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions. The monograph dedicates significant attention to the analysis of evolutionary processes, exploring the directionality of ontogenetic and phylogenetic development and the profound significance of stability in the evolution of living nature. In his concluding remarks, P.A. Vodopyanov issues a compelling call for a radical restructuring of value orientations in the interaction between society and nature, stressing the vital importance of aligning economic development with the fundamental laws of biosphere evolution, and also proposes a compelling formulation of a moral imperative that demands human actions to be consistent with the laws governing the biosphere’s evolution, ensuring the survival and flourishing of humanity in the face of extreme environmental challenges.