MORAL AND ETHICAL GUIDELINES OF SPIRITUAL SELF-IMPROVEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN UKRAINIAN MEDIEVAL THOUGHT
Abstract
The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the moral and ethical guidelines of spiritual self-improvement of the individual in Ukrainian medieval thought, which developed within the context of the Christian tradition and the cultural-historical transformations of the epoch. The study analyzes the concepts of self-perfection presented in the works of thinkers of the Kyivan Rus period and later authors, who constructed their understanding of the spiritual nature of the human being through a synthesis of anthropological, ethical, and religious-philosophical factors. Particular attention is paid to such moral orientations as inner responsibility, temperance, doing good, and the ability for self-transformation through asceticism, prayer, inner peace, and work on one’s shortcomings. The research emphasizes the connection between a person’s spiritual experience and the socio-cultural conditions that shaped moral ideals significant for the Ukrainian intellectual tradition. The role of mystical experience is highlighted separately, especially practices of concentration and silent contemplation, which were viewed as a path to a deeper comprehension of the meaning of existence and moral truth. Based on an analysis of historical-philosophical sources, it is shown that Ukrainian medieval thought offers a holistic model of spiritual development, in which moral norms function not as external regulators of behavior but as an internal foundation for forming a mature, responsible, and harmonious personality. The results of the study make it possible to reconsider the role of the moral and ethical heritage of the Middle Ages in contemporary humanitarian discourse and outline prospects for its application in shaping today’s value culture
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