Russian Historical
Science: Ten Years Later
Zh. V. Kovalevskaya R. V. Manekin
(Donetsk)
PROBLEM OF MENTALITY
MODELLING: METHODOLOGICAL ASPECT.
а In
most historical and historical-philosophical research, which are developed in
XX century the term "mentality" is used. However the clear definition
of this term is unknown for us.
аа "I don't deny the achievements of humanitarian science. But is necessary to recognize that if we know the more and more things about man, then probably the essence of man la the less clear for us. The progress in special sciences at the same time accepts the probability of the simple answer. The growth of this knowledge makes doubtful the legality of the hope to have the single answer... (I9) At the attempts to find the answers at the questions in which they are interested in scientists, philosophers, thinkers created the great number of branches in psychology, history, anthropology philosophy, philosophy of history and other humanitarian sciences. Without pretending to write a full survey we touch upon some of these branches that are important for our theme (see fig. 1 and commentary to it).
аа
During the last time at least in the Soviet historiography a lot of
works on the mentality problem are published. Speaking on mentality it is
necessary a once to divide the conception of collective (national, social
etc.)а mentality and individual one. The
question on terms remains debatable. Among the investigations of this branch it
is necessary to pick out the group of works that are devoted to studying of
mentality by means of quantitative methods. The most of them (2, 4-6, 12, 15)
are touched to the problems of collective mentality and now it is only marked
the approach to the problem of individual mentality investigations (3, 10, 11).
There is a problem to create the general categorical apparatus that could be
effectively used in different branches of investigations, defined clearly the
sphere of competence of every branch from one hand and could facilitate the use
of mathematical methods in humanitarian researches on the other hand.
ааа The
aim of given paper is to elaborate the methodological base of individual
mentality investigations by means of quantitative methods. By investigating
mentality it is necessary to outline that conception of mentality is complex
and includes the following levels:
- psycho-physical; there is a hypothesis
according to which the psycho-physical processes have the holistic character,
so they can't be adequately expressed by any of models which are based on the
ideas of traditional science (18)
- psychic;
- cultural-historical;
- spiritual-religious and cosmic levels.
аа
Besides the hierarchical structure of mentality we use the conception of
static and dynamic characteristics of mentality. As the size of this paper is
limited we have no possibility to make clear in details every of these levels
and characters, so we give the structures of first two levels (static and
dynamic aspects). Model of person psychic structure according to K. G. Jung is
described in (1) and it is given in fig. 2 (see fig. 2 and commentary to it).
а The
dynamic aspect of mentality is given in fig. 3 (see fig. 3 and commentary to
it).
аа The
simple model of cosmic level according to R. Steiner (without commentary) is
given in fig. 4.
Considering cultural-historical level of
mentality as the most accessible for quantification we analyze the following
sub-levels of given stratum, which are marked as 3. 1 and 5-2 in figure 3. We
are based on the conception that person is largely influenced by the totality
of the collective unconsciousness strata that are given in the dynamics of
historical process. By such approach the conception of person includes as its
own part the group mentality in historical context (don't disturb with
conception of collective mentality - see the works of N. A. Berdtaev about it).
аа Under
the group mentality in the historical context we understand reflection of total
culture-historical social and national experience that is refracted in the
"less of consciousness" of certain person.
а For
analysis of this experience we mark the following cultural- historical factors,
which we consider in synchronic and diachronic aspects:
1) the material factors of life mode (economic,
ethnographic and the archeological data);
2) the behavioural stereotypes (ethnographic
and psychological data);
3) emotional perception of the world (psychological
data and data of different kinds of arts);
4) the art perception of the world
(ethnographical and artistic data, data of art);
5) linguistics factors;
6) rational perception of the world;
7) the factors of the world outlook.
аа For
quantification analysis from our point of view the factors of the 4-th and 6-th
groups are the most suitable. Indirect idea about the factors in particular,
about factor N. 7, we shall get from results of previous factor analysis.
а
Following Collingwood we suppose that we can judge about mentality of
person in historical context according to the totality of his manifestations
(pragmatic and spiritual) into external world. The investigator shouldn't
forget about the large part of mental material that is hidden and doesn't give
evident manifestation (see fig. 2. 3).
а As in
every individual mentality for certain there is a rational element in this case
we propose to investigate the mentality by means of well-known mathematical
methods. At the present time in historical science there are many
quantification methods: correlation, cluster, factor, regression analysis,
content-analysis. As in our case the analysis of given material content must
precede by the other forms of analysis and only on the base of general concept system
we can divide the following elements (13), so the most adequate method in this
case we suppose the content-analysis which allows to build the general concept
system. We suppose that other quantification methods we must use in the future.
а The
term "content-analysis" from our point of view means the
determination and account of the most essential and steady characteristics of
mentality. The peculiarity of the investigation of rational component of
mentality is that in text it manifests itself not only and not rather by term
but by idea that is expressed by means of phrase, sentence and group of
sentences.
а The
results and interpretations of results of content-analysis are directly
connected with qualitative definition of primary indicators.
In this paper we propose aааа method of individual mentality analysis
that is based on the investigation of philosophical texts. This limit in the
selection of the material is defined the next step: the selection of the main
trend in the creative of a given thinker. From the point of view of the
mentality analysis the selection of a trend is manifested by the motive
characteristics of person that are shown in fig. 2, 3. The selection of the
main trend in some way determines the categorial apparatus of the given branch
of philosophy and determines the certain multitude of indicators from which we
may select. As the selection of indicators is not exhausted by such way and the
further works of selection can't be algorithm strictly we propose the following
recommendations in order to make the investigation more objective:
1) the investigation and analysis of thinkerТs
texts, cultural and historical conditions of time, environment and country
("chronotop" according to Bahtin) where and when the object of
investigation lived);
2) studying the biography (according to the
materials of contemporaries and modern investigators of this problem - critical
investigation);
3) analysis of sources (according to well-known
methods);
4) studying ofа
historicalа and culturalа context (and also in its geographicalа aspect);
5) the profound knowledge ofа language realities of the epoch.
Evenа at
the accounting of these recommendationsа
there are a. great number of uncertainty in the selection of the rest of
indicators.
Following the principle of dialogue betweenа two cultures (see the works of M. M. Bahtin) we propose toа continueа the process of indicator selection on the base of the pointа ofа clear investigator's position in context of a gives branch ofа philosophy. We can make the process of indicator selectionа more objective on the base of comparable study of research literature on question and fixation of the atributation moment in source context (11).ааа The following level of objectivation is reached by means of entering of general categories on the base of clear expressed conceptual system. Analysis of logical connections in the created conceptual system can be done on the base of one of logic systems: predicate logic, modal, pseudo-physical, multi-meaning, associative logic (14). It is necessary to outline that the investigators with profound mathematical knowledge may use the multi-meaning logics.
ааа
According to the previous text authors propose the program of
content-analysis that performs the following functions:
1) input the user's text or group of texts and
its editing with the help of well-known text screen editors for IBP PC/XT (AT)
- NORTON, MultiEdltor, Word Professional etc.;
2) input of indicators dictionary, which can be
changed during the work on the texts. We can use both vocabulary of key words
that includes the terms and steady phrases (e. g. greatness, greediness,
space-time, continuum etc) and the more wide concepts, which are expressed by
means of a sentence or a group of sentences. In the last case we can't use the
vocabulary. It is necessary to code the text on levels of mental units
(thoughts), input of the coded text table and dictionary of mental units for
definition of binary oppositions. In the text and emotionally colored
indicators;
3) the definition of indicators connection
table. We must defy both basic connection table and its probable modifications
(17);
4) quantitative analysis of the text and output
of the indicators relation graph (to printer / screen);
5) the frequency characteristics of any indicator
on desire of user (from certain indicator's menu);
6) correlation analysis of text and output of
the graph of steady categories on the base of analytical data;
7)а
cluster analysis.а
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COMMENTARY ╥╬ FIG. 1 1. Authors considered the
works of E. Wilson "Socioecology: the new synthesis", G. M. Smith,
K. Lorens, N. Tinbergen, C. J. Lumsden. 2. Authors considered
works of historical anthropology school (Le Goff, Dubis, M. Blok). 3. Authors
considered theoretical works about language (V. V. Nalomov), works of V. V.
Ivanov, V. N. Toporov, D. de Sossur. 4. Authors considered the
works of ethnosemiotlcs and ethic specifics of culture (16). 5. Authors
considered the works of existential conception of man (works of K. Jaspers,
M. Heidegger, G. Marcel, J. -P. Sartre, └. Camus, N. A. Berdiaev, S.
Kierkegard). 6. Authors considered the
works of A. Gehlen, E. Rothacker, M. Lendmann, H. -B. Hengstenberg, E.
Husserl, E. Cassirer. 7. Authors considered the
works of L. N. Gumilev about athnogenesis. 8. Authors considered the
works of O. Schpengler, A. Toinby, N. A. Berdiaev, B. Groce, R. Collingwood,
M. Blok. 9. Authors considered the
works of psychic, consciousness, language modeling, the creation of
artificial intelligence system (8), 10. Authors considered the
works of Yu. M. Lotman about sign systems. 11. Authors considered the
works of Mounier and his school, the works of psychoanalysisа (Z. Freud, A. Adler, W. Reich), the works
on analytical psychology (K. G. Jung, I. Jakobi), cognition psychologyа (behaviourists works,
geschtalt-psychlogists works, the works of K. Levin). 12. Authors considered the
works of extrasensory perception (ESP) and psycho-synthesis and also
theoretical works of altered states of consciousnessа (R. G. Jahn, G. T. Puthoff, R. Treg etc). |
COMMENTARY
╥╬ FIG. 2 1.
Mind (Psych-Germ) is the platitude of all
psychic process that are registered by the observation of certain individual
person including the manifestations of ёollective subconsiousness and generally
all breaks of the out Ч of Ч personal forces into the personal psychic (1). 2.
Soul (Seele-Germ. ) is limited functional
complex which is strictly organized around "1". 3.
I (Ich-Germ. ) is generalized conception for
defining Super-I (super Ego - lat. ), Consciousness (Ego - lat. ) and
Subconsciousness (Id - lat. ). аааа 3. 1. Selfity (das Selbst - Germ. ) is a central archetype,
the image of arranged wholeness. "The Self is a value that refers to
conscious but unconscious Psyche and that is why it is as person which by the
way we are" (20). 3.2.
Mask is an connection between "I" and objects of the external life
(only social - das Mann, according to Heidegger). "There is a danger to
become identical to own Mask, e. g. when professor indents' himself with his chair
and tenor - with his voice... The Mask is that what really isn't, but what he
and other people think about this man" (20). 3.3.
"Shadow - is... that hidden forced out defective and criminal person
which reaches to the world of beast ancestors by his last branches and by
such way covers all the historical aspects of of unconsciousness" (21). аSpeaking of collective unconsciousness Jung
wrote: "Mind of Man is a mushroom, collective unconsciousness are of
it" (21). |
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Transl. by Zh.V.Kovalevskaya.