Anthropology by Hrigory Skovorodа as a Prologue of the Future Image of a Human Being

Abstract

The article examines the anthropological problems of H. Skovoroda's philosophy. It is shown that in the
dimension of the objectively possible Macrocosm and the subjectively appropriate Microcosm, a person appears
as a God-man in the Ukrainian thinker. In the implementation of the principle of self-discovery, a person reveals
himself in two aspects – the inner and the outer person. The thinker calls the inner man a true man, while the outer
appearance, the body itself, is only a shell of a person. It is emphasized that the Skovoroda’s teaching about man
was created in the spirit of biblical anthropology, emphasizing the unique personality of man, taken in its depth
comprehended by the mind. It is noted that the Ukrainian thinker, developing the problems of the presence of God
in man, speaks of a double birth: one from the flesh, and the other from the Spirit. Spiritual birth opens the way
to self-discovery and self-creation. Such a person, self-aware from the feeling of the Spirit in himself, becomes
not only a source for his own use, but also an example for everyone. The example and image of a true person is
Jesus Christ, who opens the way to the formation and upbringing of spirituality. It is shown that the presence of
God in man simultaneously creates the idea of inner and outer man. Their opposition leads to an understanding
of the need for internal improvement. The theme of the Mountain Republic is analyzed, which appears as the
idea of a society of morally perfect people living on the basis of self-dicovery and self-education. It is noted that
Hrigory Skovoroda's anthropology occupies a central place in his cordocentrism (philosophy of the heart). It is a
manifestation of the Ukrainian cultural and intellectual paradigm, always oriented towards European philosophy,
its personalistic dimension. In its context, the national identity of the Ukrainian people is formed