Inside the madhouse of the Moscow anthropological school

Abstract

This article analyzes some fundamental aspects of the "Manifesto of the Moscow Anthropological School," presented to the philosophical community as a programmatic document. The text of the "Manifesto" is written in a provocative and esoteric manner, which makes it difficult to understand its key ideas. It is revealed that the "Manifesto" represents an anarchistic revolt against the rational-conceptual understanding of reality, and at the core of this revolt lies the definition of humans as beings whose inherent trait is the ability to experience hallucinations, slumber while awake, and to indulge in wild visions. The article substantiates the argument that such views cannot be structured into a logically coherent system of concepts and are inconsistent with practical reality. The program of "conscious madness" is criticized as entirely unrealistic and provoking pretense. The basis of this program is an irrational fear of scientific and technological progress. Special attention is given to the "Manifesto’s" alarmist perception of the process of digitization of the social space.