Purpose and Features of Teaching Philosophical Disciplines at Tertiary Educational Institutions while Training Specialists of Various Knowledge Areas

Abstract

Today there is a downward trend in the credibility of the humanities in university education including philosophy, it is evidenced by the reduction of popularity and the number of teaching hours. Nevertheless, according to students and professors, philosophy is an interesting and necessary discipline for specialists of various knowledge areas. The article is devoted to the study of the basic purpose and features of teaching philosophical disciplines at tertiary educational institutions. Training specialists in various fields in times of urgent need for total revision of the educational paradigm and principles of teaching not only in tertiary education but also throughout the entire system of Ukrainian education as a whole. In the course of the investigation, the methods of interdisciplinary approach, system analysis, social-cultural method, social-activity and concrete-historical approach have been applied. In the framework of the study conducted, the basic functions of philosophical disciplines have been identified that make them an integral part of the educational process at the tertiary educational institution, namely: a) philosophy as a system of world perception formation; b) philosophy as a methodology of scientific research; c) philosophy as the grounding of moral and ethical education; d) philosophy as the basis for critical thinking formation. In the course of investigation it was possible to identify some of the most important general formation principles of the required competences while studying philosophical disciplines, which are further necessary for the comprehensive learning of educational material at a sufficient level. Innovative principles and technologies of modern education help create the relevant matrix of pedagogical design, which makes it possible to better understand the processes and phenomena studied in different disciplines, to comprehend them, to conduct reflection. In the article it was possible to analyze the value of philosophical education for students of tertiary educational institutions of all training areas, to prove the need for such knowledge for the formation of professional, scientific, research, political and social competences of a future adult human, a responsible worker and a concerned citizen.