Abstract
In Chapter IV it was shown that, for Rubinštejn, the psychic is essentially constituted by its twofold relationship to the material world. In virtue of its relationship to the inner matter of the brain it is a function of that organ and assumes the quality of higher nervous activity; in its relationship to the outer material world it appears as an ideal reflection. Consequently, it is the task of psychology to study the psychic under each of these aspects. The greater portion of the two major works written by Rubinštejn after 1950 — Being and Consciousness and Principles and Paths of Development of Psychology — is given over to an analysis of the psychic under each of these aspects. Of the two last-mentioned works Being and Consciousness gives the clearest and most detailed presentation of Rubinštejn’s thought on the aspects of the psychic. In Being and Consciousness Rubinštejn is primarily concerned with strictly philosophical questions while Principles and the short monograph On Thinking and the Paths of its Investigation contain more experimental material. As the present work is directly concerned with the philosophical questions of psychology, Being and Consciousness will be the primary source for the extended discussion of Rubinštejn’s thought on the ‘aspects’ of the psychic, which will be the subject of this and the following chapter.
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“... nado obratit’sja k konkretnomu izučeniju psixičeskix javlenij, vzjat’ ix vo vsex suščestvennyx svjazjax, vyjavit’ raznye ix xarakteristiki i sootnesti éti xarakteristiki v sootvestvii s ob”ektivnoj logikoj tex svjazej i otnošenij, v kotoryx každaja iz ix vystupaet. Takov otpravnoj punkt podlinno naučnogo issledovanija, edinstvenno vozmožnyj dlja togo, čtoby preodolet’ različnye ‘točki zrenija’ proizvot’nye v svoej odnostoronnosti.” Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 4. Cf. also ibid., pp. 5f; Principy, p. 9.
“Psixičeskaja dejatel’nost’ — éto dejatel’nost’ mozga, javljajuščajasja vmeste s tern otraženiem, poznaniem mira; odin i te že psixičeskie javlenija vsegda vystupajut i v torn i v drugom kačestve. Dva voprosa — različnye i daže kak budto raznorodnye: odin — gnoseologičeskij — o poznavatel’nom otnošenii psixičeskix javlenij k ob”ektivnoj real’nosti, i drugoj — estestvennonaučnyj — o svjazi psixičeskogo s mozgom, — vzai-mosvjazany nastol’ko čto, rešiv opredelennym obrazom odin iz nix, nel’zja uže rešit inače, čem sootvetstvennym, strogo opredelinnym obrazom, i drugoj.” (Psychic activity is cerebral activity and at the same time reflection, knowledge of the world; one and the same psychic phenomenon always appears in the one and the other quality. The two questions are different and apparently heterogeneous: one belongs to the realm of epistemology and concerns the cognitive relationship of psychic phenomena to objective reality; the other belongs to that of natural science and concerns the connection of the psychic to the brain. But they are so interconnected that one cannot be answered in a particular way without answering the other in a way which strictly corresponds to the answer given to the first.) Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 4f.
Cf. Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 9.
Cf. Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 6.
“V gnoseologičeskom otnošenii psixičeskix javlenij k ix ob”ektu vystupaet protivo-položnost’ sub”ektivnogo i ob” ektivnogo, suščestvennaja v gnoseologičeskom plane. Odnako dlja togo, čtoby podčerkivanie étoj protivopoložnosti ne privelo k dualizmu, neobxodimo raskryt’ i to edinstvo, v ramkax kotorogo ona raskryvaetsja. Poétomu važno podčerknut’ ne tol’ko protivopoložnost’, no i isxodnoe edinstvo oščuščenij, myslej, soznanija i ob”ektivnoj real’nosti, otraženiem, osoznaniem kotorogo oni javljajutsja.” (The opposition of objective and subjective is an essential characteristic of the epistemological relationship of psychic phenomena to their object. But, lest the insistence on this opposition lead to dualism it is necessary to focus attention on the unity within which this opposition is realized. Therefore, one must not only emphasize the opposition but also the basic unity between sensation, thought and consciousness on the one hand, and objective reality on the other, of which [objective reality] the former are a reflection and an apprehension.) Ibid., p. 37.
Rubinštejn, ‘Predmet, zadači i metodi psixologii’ [The Object, Tasks and Methods of Psychology], Psixologija [Psychology], Učebnik pedagogičeskix institutov pod red. A. A. Smirnov, A. Leontev, S. L. Rubinštejni, B. M. Teplov, M. 1956, p. 10 (henceforward: Rubinštejn, Psixologija).
Cf. Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 287.
Cf. Ibid., p. 37.
Cf. Ibid., pp. 266, 274.
“Dlja dialektiko-materialističeskoj teorii otraženija isxodnym javljaetsja vzai-modejstvie čeloveka kak sub”ekta s mirom....” Ibid., p. 40.
Ibid., p. 101.
Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 22.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 109, 119.
Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 21.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 108.
“Rešaja svoj osnovnoj — samyj prostoj i vmeste s tern samyj fundamental’nyj — staryj sokratovskij vopros ti esti (čto éto est’?), podxvačennyj i uglublennyj Aristotelem, naučnoe myšlenie vydeljaet imenno éti vnutrennie, sobstvennye, suščestvennye svojstva javlenija.” (In fulfilling its basic task, which is to answer the ancient Socratic question ti esti — at once the simplest and most fundamental question — which Aristotle took over and made more penetrating, scientific thought uncovers the inner, specific, essential properties of a phenomenon.) Ibid., p. 130.
“Myšlenie v podlinom smysle slova — éto proniknovenie v novye sloi suščego, vzryvanie i podnimanie na belyj svet čego-to, do togo skrytogo v nevedomyx glubinax; postanovka i razrešenie problem bytija i žizni; poiski i naxoždenie otveta na vopros: kak ono est’ v dejstvitel’nosti — nužnogo dlja togo, ctoby znat’, kak verno žit’, čto delat’.” Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 53.
“Na vopros o torn, čto predstavljaet soboj poznanie, teorija otraženija dialektičeskogo materializma otvečaet tak: poznanie éto otraženie mira kak ob”ektivnoj real’nosti. Oščuščenie, vosprijatie, soznanie est’ obraz vnešnego mira.” (To the question, what is knowledge?, the dialectical-materialist theory of reflection answers: knowledge is a reflection of the world as objective reality. Sensation, perception, consciousness are an image of the outer world.) Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 31.
Ibid., pp. 31–34.
Ibid., p. 37.
Ibid., p. 38.
“... obraz vešči — éto ideal’naja, t.e. otražennaja v sub”ekte, v ego mozgu, forma otražennogo suščestvovannija vešči. Soderžanie étoj formuly takovo: éto značit, čto obraz vešči — ne sama vešč’ i vmeste s tem ne znak vešči, a ee otraženie.” Ibid., p. 36.
Ibid., pp. 255–261.
Ibid., p. 261.
“Vsjakoe psixičeskoe obrazovanie (čuvstvennyj obraz vešči, čuvstvo i.t.d.) — éto, po suščestvu, psixičeskij process v ego rezul’tativnom vyraženii.” (Every psychic formation (a sense image of the thing, sensation, etc.) is essentially the psychic process in its resultant expression.) Ibid., p. 263.
Ibid., pp. 256ff.
“Psixologija... éto nauka, vskryvajuščaja zakonomernosti osuščestvljaemoj mozgom psixičeskoj dejatel’nosti čeloveka.” Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 28.
“Pod psixičeskim kak dejatel’nost’ju my razumeem psixičeskij process ili sovokup-nost’ processov, kotorye udovletvorjajut kakoj-libo žiznennoj potrebnosti čeloveka i napravleny na cel’, bolee ili menee neposredstvenno svjavannuju s udovletvoreniem étoj potrebnosti.” Ibid., p. 37.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 257.
“Psixičeskoj ona javljaetsja tol’ko po svoemu processual’nomu i motivacionnomu sostavu, a ne po zadačam, kotorye ona kak dejatel’nost’ razrešaet.” (It only appears as psychic from the point of view of its processional and motivational composition, and not from the point of view of the tasks which it fulfills as activity.) Ibid., p. 257.
Ibid., p. 263.
Cf. Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 47–48, 214–215; Principy, pp. 28, 57.
Rubinštejn, Psixologija, p. 10.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 70.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid., p. 72.
“Načal’nym momentom otraženija dejstvitel’nosti javljajutsja oščuščenija. Oni predstavljajut soboj otraženie otdel’nyx svojstv predmetov i javlenij material’nogo mira, dejstvujuščix neposredstvenno na organy čuvstv (oščuščenie, cveta, zvuka, zapaxa i.t.d.). V vosprijatii i javlenija otražajutsja uže v mnogoobrazii svoix svojstv. Rassmatrivaja predmet, my vidim ne prosto ego cvet, formu i veličinu otdel’no drug ot druga, a vosprinimaem ego kak celoe (dorn, stol, karandaš i.t.d.). Rubinštejn, Psixologija, p. 10.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 72ff.
Ibid., p. 74.
Ibid., p. 75.
“Dlja fiziologii dejstvitel’nost’ vystupaet kak sovokupnost’ razdražitelej, vozdejstvu-juščix na mozg, na analizatory; dlja psixologii — v kačestve ob”ektov poznanija i dejstvija, ob”ektov, s kotorymi vzaimodejstvuet čelovek kak sub”ekt.” (For physiology, reality appears as a collection of stimuli acting on the brain and on the analysers; for psychology, it appears in the quality of objects of knowledge and activity, objects with which man interacts as a subject.) Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 26.
“Psixičeskie javlenija voznikajut imenno togda, kogda v xode reflektornoj dejatel’-nosti mozga (v processe differencirovki razdražitelej) pojavljajutsja oščuščenija, i otraženny v nix razdražitel’ vystupaet v kačestve ob”ekta.” Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 6.
“S vozniknoveniem v xode reflektornoj dejatel’nosti oščuščenij, psixičeskix javlenij voznikaet i poznavatel’no otnošenie k ob”ektivnoj real’nosti.” Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 14.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 106–108.
Ibid., p. 106.
Ibid., p. 127.
Ibid. p. 108.
“Myšlenie v sobstvennom smysle slova bez jazyka nevozmožno. Abstraktnoe myš-lenie — étc jazykovoe, slovesnoe myšlenie.” Ibid., p. 162.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 162–171; Principy, pp. 102–114.
F. de Saussure, Cours de linguistique générale, Paris 1922.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 158.
Ibid., p. 170.
Ibid., p. 166.
Ibid., p. 165.
Ibid., p. 162; Principy, p. 102.
Ibid.
“Govorja o processe poznanija, nel’zja, očevidno, ograničit’sja tol’ko processom individual’nogo poznanija, poznanija mira individom, nužno imet’ v vidu i process istoričeskogo razvitija znanija; samyj process poznanija mira individom oposredstvovan razvitiem poznanija mira čelovečestvom, istoričeskim razvitiem naučnogo znanija, kak, s drugoj storony, process istoričeskogo razvitija naučnogo znanija oposredstvovan poznavatel’noj dejatel’nost’ju individov.” (When speaking of the process of knowledge, it is obvious that it cannot be limited to the process of individual knowledge, the individual’s knowledge of the world. One must also consider the process of the historical development of knowledge; the process by which the individual comes to know the world is mediated by the development of mankind’s knowledge of the world, by the historical development of scientific knowledge, just as, on the other hand, the process of the historical development of scientific thought is mediated by the cognitive activity of individuals.) Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 53.
“Specifika čelovečeskogo myšlenija vyražaetsja pri étom v torn, čto ono javljaetsja vzaimodejstviem myšljaščego čeloveka ne tol’ko s neposredstveno čuvstvenno vosprini-maemoj dejsvitel’nost’ju, no i s ob”ektivirovannoj v slove obščestvenno vyrabotannoj sistemoj znanij, obščeniem čeloveka s čelovečestvom.” (The specific character of human thought is revealed by the fact that it is not only an interaction of the thinker with immediately perceptible sensible reality, but also with the socially created system of knowledge objectivized in the word, that it is a communication of the individual with mankind.) Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 52.
“... v myšlenii individa nepreryvno funkcionirujut produkty obščestvenno-istoričes-kogo razvitija naučnogo znanija, individual’noe myšlenie čeloveka est’ v étom smysle po svoemu vnutrennemu soderžaniju obščestvenno obuslovlennyj process.” (In the thinking of the individual, products of the socio-historical development of scientific thought function uninterruptedly; in this sense the individual thought of a man is, in its inner content, a socially conditioned process.) Ibid., p. 82.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 135: O myšlenii, p. 30.
Rubinštejn, O myšlenii, p. 33.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 137.
Ibid., p. 138.
Ibid., p. 137.
Ibid.
Ibid., p. 138.
Ibid., pp. 107ff.
Rubinštejn, Principy, pp. 70ff.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 139.
Ibid.
Ibid., p. 140.
Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 89.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 105.
Ibid., pp. 104–105, 140.
Ibid., p. 140.
Pavlov-Anrep, Conditioned Reflexes, New York 1960, p. 113.
Ibid.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 140.
Ibid., p. 141; Principy, p. 89.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 141–142.
Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 89.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 150.
Ibid., p. 307–316; Principy, pp. 116–137.
“Pri ob”jasnenii ljubyx psixičeskix javlenij ličnost’ vystupaet kak voedino svjaznannaja sovokypnost’ vnutrennix uslovij čerez kotorye prelomljajutsja vse vnešnie vozdejstvija.” (In the explanation of any psychic phenomena, personality appears as the unified collection of inner conditions through which all outer impulses are refracted.) Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 308.
Ibid.
“IndividuaPnye svojstva ličnosti — éto ne odno i te že, čto ličnostnye svojstva individa, t.e. svojstva, xarakterizujuščie ego kak ličnost’.” (The individual properties of the personality are not the same thing as the personalistic properties of the individual, i.e., those properties which characterize him as a personality.) Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, p. 309; Principy, p. 119.
Ibid., pp. 41–54.
Ibid., p. 41.
“Obraz, ideja (ponjatie, myšl’), ne obosobimye v svoem gnoseologičeskom soderžanii ot predmeta, vešči, ot ob”ektivnoj real’nosti, suščestvujuščej nezavisimo ot nix, vmeste s tern ne sovpadajut neposredstvenno so svoim predmetom vo-pervyx potomu, čto oni nikogda ne isčerpyvajut vsego beskonečnogo bogatstva, vsej polnoty soderžanija predmeta, i, vo-vtoryx, potomu, čto isxodnoe, neposredstvenno, čuvstvenno dannoe soderžanie ego preobrazuetsja v processe poznanija,....” Ibid., p. 42.
“Otnositel’noe obosoblenie idej ot veščej, soderžanija znanija — ot čuvstvenno dannogo bytija svjazano s tern, čto idei, znanija formirujutsja v rezuPtate poznavatel’noj dejatel’nosti sub”ekta, putem analiza i sinteza, abstrakcii i obobščenija, preobrazujuščix isxodnye émpiričeskie dannye, v kotovyx neposredstvenno vystupajut vešči i javlenija dejstvitel’nosti....” Ibid., pp. 42–43.
Ibid., p. 49.
Ibid., pp. 54–70.
Ibid., p. 56.
Ibid.
Cf. reference 92.
“Každij akt otraženii ob”ekta sub”ektom, osuščestvljajuščijsja posredstvom analiza i sinteza, abstrakcii i generalizacii neobxodimo predstavljaet soboj ne mexaničeskoe vosproizvedenie ob”ekta, a bolee ili menee značitel’noe ego ideal’noe — čuvstvenno, myšlennoe — preobrazovanie.” Rubinštejn, Principy, p. 38.
Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 84ff.
Ibid., pp. 58–60.
“V silu vseobščej vzaimosvjazi vsex javlenij mira pojavlenie novyx form materii, v častnosti, organičeskoj materii (organizmov), vyzyvalo novye projavlenija vsex drugix form bytija, s kotorymi éti novye formy vstupali vo vzaimodejstvie.” (By reason of the general interconnection of the phenomena of the world, the appearance of a new form of matter, in particular of organic matter (organisms) has called forth new properties in all the other forms of being, with which these new forms interacted.) Ibid., p. 60.
Ibid., pp. 62–63.
Ibid., p. 64.
D. D. Vasilev. Cf. Filosofskie voprosy fiziologu vysšej nervnoj dejatel’nosti i psixologii, Moscow 1963, p. 674.
“Vsjakij psixiceskij process imeet poznavatel’nuju storonu, kotoraja, odnako, ne isčerpyvaet ego. Ob”ekt, otražaemyj v psixičeskix javlenijax, kak pravilo, zatragivaet potrebnosti, interesy individa i v silu etogo vyzyvaet y nego opredelennoe émocional’no — volevoe otnošenie (stremlenie, čuvstvo). Vsjakij konkretnij psixičeskij akt podlinnaja ‘edinica’ soznanija vključaet oba komponenta — i intellektual’nyj, ili poznavatel’nyj, i affektivnyj.... Odnako imenno vpoznavatel’noj storone psixičeskogo processa osoben-no rel’efno vystupaet svjaz’ psixičeskix javlenij s ob”ektivnym mirom.” Rubinštejn, Bytie i soznanie, pp. 6f.
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Payne, T.R. (1968). The Psychic and the External World. In: S. L. Rubinštejn and the Philosophical Foundations of Soviet Psychology. Sovietica, vol 30. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-3456-2_6
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