Philosphy and Culture in the Times of Pandemics

Introductory article by the editors of the special issue

Abstract

Unprecedented in its scope pandemic of coronavirus, which started in 2019 in China and is lasting up to this day has set before the researchers an array of very serious problems. These problems are triggered by what makes pandemics a catastrophe, but a catastrophe of a special kind. The four horsemen of Apocalypse symbolize these catastrophes, representing irresponsible governing, pandemics, famine and death, following, as history indicates, one after another, although the order may be different. The specificity of the pandemic catastrophe is that it, being promulgated by natural reasons, creates problems, immediately stemming from the specific circumstances of life under the conditions of quarantine and threat to life and health. These circumstances change the live word of the human being and the order of his institutions. At the same time many of the problems, caused by it, are stemming immediately from the characteristic of the pandemics as a crisis of value. The comprehension of this crisis in general and in its particular implications became the goal of this issue, comprised of the articles, based on some of the papers presented on the XII International conference of the School of Philosophy and culture studies of the NRU HSE “Philosophy and Culture in the Time of Pandemics”, which took place from 30 September to 2 October 2021 in Moscow.