THE PHILOSOPHICAL AND HISTORICAL CONCEPT OF THE “NATIONAL GENIUS” AND ITS ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF THE FORMATION OF THE UKRAINIAN NATION

Abstract

The article explores the role of the philosophical and historical concept of the “national genius.” In Ukrainian society, a lack of consolidation is observed; therefore, the history of state-building and nation-forming processes is characterized by instability and discontinuity. The emergence of exceptional personalities that can be defined as “national geniuses” contributes to the formation of new value dominants and the constructive activation of Ukrainian society. The author analyzes the concept of “genius” within historical-cultural and philosophical-historical discourses. Within the historical-cultural discourse, the term “genius” is considered in correlation with the notions of “ability,” “giftedness,” and “talent,” representing the highest level of their development. However, the universal feature of genius—both in historical-cultural and philosophical-historical contexts—is the capacity to create new value dominants and influence contemporaries by overcoming their passive inertia and attachment to outdated forms of social organization. In the Ukrainian philosophical-historical discourse, the concept of “genius” acquires the meaning of “national genius.” The main mission of the “national genius” is not only to become a prophet and bearer of the national idea but also to establish new value orientations for Ukrainian society, which will lead to constructive transformations of the Ukrainian nation. The “national genius” of Ukraine can be represented not only by an ideologist, poet, or writer, but also by a professional scholar, military-political leader, or statesman. The relevance of the concept of the “national genius” for modern Ukrainian nationhood lies in the need for consolidation and the overcoming of the current military-political crisis.