Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On October 16, Novosibirsk State University hosted its first lecture on Juche philosophy, delivered by the Dean of the Philosophy Department at Kim Il Sung University. He outlined the fundamental principles of this teaching. The lecture attracted interest not only from NSU students, faculty, and staff, but also from students at other universities—a total of 12 Russian universities from various regions joined the online broadcast. The lecture series continues this week, with the next one taking place at NSU in the same format on October 23.
A key principle of Juche philosophy is the notion that man is at the core of everything; he is the master of the world and the lord of his own destiny. Human behavior is characterized by independence, creativity—that is, the desire to transform the world around him—and consciousness. Another important principle concerns the role of the masses in the historical process. The key importance of the people as the engine of change is emphasized, emphasizing the right of the nation to defend its freedom and interests. Particularly noteworthy is the notion that when people act together, they are capable of achieving great things and achieving great results.
Vladimir Diev, Doctor of Philosophy, Director of the Institute of Philosophy and Law at NSU, and moderator of the meeting, drew attention to the connection between the ideas embodied in Juche philosophy and fundamental worldview concepts and Russian tradition:
"The concept that man is at the center of the world is not new; this tradition dates back to Protagoras: man is the measure of all things. At the same time, this idea is deeply humanistic and resonates well with Russian philosophy, which frequently addresses the issue of freedom, free will, and creativity. The way and extent to which the concept of 'man is the measure of all things, man is the creator of history' is realized is not objectionable and serves as a sound foundation for the development of further philosophical concepts."
Marina Wolf, Doctor of Philosophy and Director of the Institute of Philosophy and Law of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted the relevance of this lecture series for two reasons: it is an opportunity to learn more about the North Korean state and to lay the foundation for building deeper relations with the Eastern world as a whole.
"We know very little about North Korean philosophy, and it was a revelation to hear firsthand from the proponents of these ideas. The philosophical component there is truly profound, and it's interesting that it is, in a sense, rooted in the Western tradition, because the entire anthropological issue and the foregrounding of the human being are, of course, more characteristic of the Western tradition than the Eastern one. Although Juche philosophy is characterized by emphasizing the role of the human being not so much as an individual, but as part of a social, political movement," commented Marina Wolf.
As Vladimir Diev noted, the philosophy of Juche is also interesting as an attempt to rethink orthodox Marxism at a new stage in the development of history, already in the 21st century.
"Marxism is currently being actively discussed in the West, but the conversation isn't so much about its obsolescence as about its development and transformation. It's interesting to see in what direction and how this can be done in a particular country, and what the results are," added Marina Wolf.
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