The Evolution of the Idea of Giftedness in Ukrainian Baroque Cordocentric Philosophy

Abstract

This article investigates the concept of giftedness within the framework of Ukrainian Baroque philosophy. It argues that a distinctive philosophical tradition emerged in Ukrainian educational institutions – particularly in brotherhood schools and the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy – one that focused on the spiritual energy of talent and giftedness. Ukrainian Baroque thought is characterized by a dynamic, paradoxical, and multifaceted perception of the world, the human being, and spiritual life, reflecting a shift from static principles toward an intensified understanding of socio-cultural development. Within this transformation, the infinity of the cosmos is juxtaposed with the depths of the human heart and its aspiration toward divine unity.

The reception of ancient culture in Ukraine, primarily through Hellenistic sources, enabled the formation of an original cordocentric philosophical paradigm. Within this framework, the “heart” functions as a mediating hypostasis between the individual and the surrounding world. The central idea of Ukrainian Baroque philosophy is identified as a selective synthesis that integrates diverse spiritual traditions – Gnosticism, Patristics, Scholasticism, Renaissance humanism, Reformation thought, and early Enlightenment philosophy – into a coherent intellectual system. This synthesis made it possible for gifted Ukrainian youth to engage deeply with the intellectual heritage of European culture.

Giftedness is thus interpreted as a transgressive mode of sensibility that transcends conventional forms of knowledge and experience. The cordocentric philosophical culture of the Ukrainian Baroque, especially in the works of Hryhorii Skovoroda, affirms the heart as the locus of inner human potential, manifested through talent and creative expression. Skovoroda’s philosophical legacy foregrounds giftedness as a legitimate and meaningful category within philosophical inquiry.