Discussions about philosophical generations and the cultural centrality of philosophy

The article contains reflections on the philosophers of the Sixties, caused by the discussion of the issue at the theoretical seminars held in Rostov-on-Don. Those, in turn, were initiated by the publication of a collective work dedicated to the topic of “philosophical generations” and dedicated to the anniversary of the IF RAS. And although the seminars, especially the second one, which is given the main place in the article, supplemented and even to some extent shifted the focus to the “political potential” of the philosophical generation of the sixties, the discussion was based on the problem of the meaning of philosophy and its culture-creating role. The difference of opinion was found both in the understanding of the era of the sixties, and in the assessment of the ideas and significance of the philosophers of the Sixties, and in the ideological and political summaries following from these assessments. Rebirth or loss, collapse and illusions – in relation to the epoch. Deprivants (in some modern assessments), naive idealists or visionaries – in relation to the Sixties themselves. According to the author of the article, it was of particular importance to address the issues of scientific self-awareness, the role of science in the life of society, reverence for science, characteristic of that era and which have become integral pages of the history of our university. Which largely corrects the understanding of the importance and significance of philosophy in university education.