Culture, aesthetics, values

Department “Culture, Aesthetics, Values” at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology – BAS, direction “Social Activity and Worldview”, is a host unit of the section “Aesthetics” and the inherited in time section “Culture, Values and Morality” in the face of the aesthetic team in it.

The specialized appearance of the department in the field of aesthetics, axiology and philosophy of culture is determined by the theoretical analysis – both in a historical-philosophical and systematic direction – of the most significant conceptual metamorphoses in the modern, postmodern and contemporary aesthetic paradigms (aestheticization, visualization , virtualization, politicization), as well as from the analysis of the problems of contemporary globalized culture (cyber culture, image culture, entertainment culture, commercial artistic practice, etc.).

The main goals of our research projects are aimed at the study of the most significant philosophical problems of the development of modern artistic culture and human perception, and the application of aesthetic theoretical constructions as a methodological guide – for a practical understanding of the meaning of place and the role of culture and art for preserving the integrity and values of the human.

The department’s main areas of expertise are:
Professional field: Philosophy – Aesthetics

The problem orientation of aesthetic research is focused on the analytical and critical interpretation of the variety of cultural and aesthetic phenomena, as the most important special marks and metamorphoses in the development of modern and postmodern art, but also of human perception itself (gr. αἴσθησις), are brought out in the foreground. These cultural and aesthetic questions of the modern world correspond not only to the theoretical challenges in the analysis of aesthetic experience and the definition of aesthetics as a science, artistic creativity, the ontological status of the modern work of art, the transformed structures of aesthetic perception as a result of the technologization of everyday life, – but also the urgent social needs of developing adequate criteria for the assessment of artistic practice, methodology of art analysis, aesthetic dimensions of artistic taste. The integral and interdisciplinary nature of research allows us to combine theoretical questions with social relevance and relevance. The research projects of the section in this professional field, both collective and individual, are devoted to more general and more particular problems from the spectrum of philosophy of art, philosophy of aesthetic values and philosophy of perception, which stand at the core of contemporary cultural and aesthetic situation, and address their motives, essence and possible solutions within the Bulgarian scientific context.

Philosophy – Axiology

Culture and art are such phenomena of human development that seal in the world and in matter – in artifacts, historical events and twists and turns, in works of art – the stages of development of his perception, consciousness, worldview attitudes, spirituality and spirituality. Therefore, the philosophy of values, or axiology, is an irrevocable basis of all research projects of the section, which makes possible the convergence of aesthetics and its main subjects – art and perception, with the research of the other spheres of experience and culture – ethics, religion and science .

Philosophy of culture

This professional field is advocated within the research team’s projects as reflection and in-depth analysis of the premises, processes and outcomes of cultural phenomena in both diachronic and synchronic aspects. The logical connection of this field with the spheres of aesthetics and axiology is dictated by the fact that culture is the objectification of universal and private human values and worldview – and in the purest and time-resistant form these values and worldviews are presented in works of art.

The researchers in the section’s team are high-level experts recognized both at home and abroad, evidenced by their various publications, participation in prestigious international forums, research projects, the permanent seminar “Culture, Aesthetics, Values” with international participation, and others.

The members of the unit also have many years of experience in teaching in higher schools (SU “St. Kliment Ohridski”, National Sports Academy “Vassil Levski”, UNWE, Forestry University).

The section offers a doctoral program in professional direction 2.3. Philosophy – scientific field Aesthetics.

Projects

Values in the Construction and Transformation of Personality. A Processual-Axiological Perspective
Collective planning project at IFS – BAS
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvia Borissova
Team member: Milena Popcheva, clinical psychologist (Stockholm, Sweden), independent researcher in philosophy
Implementation period: 01.11.2022 – 31.10.2024

Chess in the Visual Arts. Chess as a Conceptual Metaphor in Painting, Photography and Sculpture
Individual planning project at IFS – BAS
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vyara Popova
Implementation period: 1.03.2022 – 28.02.2025

Idol and Gnosis in Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Irenaeus of Lyons, and Lactantius and Their Significance for Modern Theories of the Symbol
Individual planning project at IFS – BAS
Head: Ch. Asst. Dr. Galin Penev
Implementation period: 01.03.2022 – 28.02.2025

An Attempt at an Internal Definition of Art
Individual planning project at IFS – BAS
Head: Asst. Dr. Nikifor Avramov
Implementation period: 01.03.2022 – 29.02.2024

An Attempt at a Deep Ontology of the Creator in Art Individual Project (Vision)
Program to support young scientists and postdoctoral students at the MES and BAS – session 2021.
Author and supervisor: Dr. Nikifor Avramov, assistant professor
Scientific consultant: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvia Borissova
Implementation period: 01.07.–31.12.2021

The Pandemic as a Challenge to Aesthetics and the Arts
Collective planning project at IFS – BAS
Head: chap. assistant Dr. Vyara Popova
Members of the team: Prof. Ivanka Stapova, Ph.D. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvia Borissova, Ch. Asst. Dr. Galin Penev, Assistant Dr. Iva Kuyumdzhieva, Dr. Nikifor Avramov, Dr. Nikolina Deleva
Implementation period: 20.10.2020 – 20.10.2021

Aesthetics of Silence and Silence
Individual project No. DFNP-17-175/03.08.2017
Program for supporting young scientists and doctoral students at the BAS – 2017.
Author and supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvia Borissova
Scientific consultant: Prof. Ivanka Stapova, PhD
Implementation period: 15.08.2017 – 14.02.2019

Will Beauty Save the World?
Collective planning project at IFS – BAS
Head: Prof. Ivanka Stapova, PhD
Coordinator; head (09.-12.2019): Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvia Borissova
Members of the team: Prof. Nonka Bogomilova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvia Borissova, Ch. Asst. Professor Andrey Leshkov, Ph.D. assistant Dr. Galin Penev, Ph.D. Vyara Popova
Implementation period: 01.07.2016 – 31.12.2019

Състав

Full-time PhD student
Head of Department
Full-time PhD student
Full-time PhD student
Full-time PhD student
Associate member