The Principle of Material Unity of the World in the World of Pluralism

Abstract

This paper dwells on the principle of material unity of the world in the aspects of substantial, substrate, attributive, and functional unity of the world and in the aspect of unity of the world’s natural process. A substantial connection of this principle with the development of science, primarily, natural sciences, is determined. A historical nature of philosophical interpretations of the principle of material unity of the world is identified and a comparison is drawn between the monistic expression of this principle based on classical scientific rationality and its interpretations based on non-classical scientific rationality. A conclusion is made about the impact of methodological pluralism of modern scientific cognition on various substantive aspects of the principle of material unity of the world. Points of contradiction are identified between the modern scientific methodologies and the philosophical content of the principle under study. In terms of the ideological significance of the principle of material unity of the world, the author points out complete exclusion of the ontological meaning of any religious views and ideas by the regulatory action of this principle. In the modern picture of worldview pluralism (dominated by religious and religious-like beliefs, value orientations and views) a worldview based on the principle of material unity of the world is elitist and is very poorly represented. In scientists’ worldview, orientation towards this principle explicitly (reflexively) or implicitly performs the function of an epistemological basis for extrapolating knowledge obtained in local areas of research to the entire subject area of the relevant sciences. Therefore, at least within the scientific community, the principle of material unity of the world retains its monistic significance, both in methodological and ideological terms.