PATRIOTISM AND MILITARY DUTY IN THE PROBLEM AREA OF MODERN UKRAINE

Abstract

The current paper analyzes patriotism in its essential dimensions based on systemic, concrete historical, interdisciplinary and structural and functional approaches. It is substantiated that the readiness to perform military duty is not just one of the important markers of patriotism since it appears as a dominant considering modern realities and the geopolitical situation. The purpose of the study is to analyze the structural and functional dimensions of patriotism – their unity allows us to understand its essence as an extremely complex phenomenon and to identify problem areas that create potential risks in the practices of national patriotic education; justification of military patriotic education as the main component of national-patriotic education, and readiness to perform military duty as the main marker of patriotism. In the course of the research, the methods of philosophical reflection, analysis, synthesis, document analysis, monitoring and observation were used. The context of this study is the realities of modern Ukraine as a country where hostilities continue. Peculiarities of the obtained results: 1) On the basis of the conducted analysis, it was proved that patriotism should be considered in the unity of emotional and sensual, rational and volitional components; specific problem areas were identified as those that create potential risks in the practices of national patriotic education. 2) It was substantiated that patriotism as a specific phenomenon exists only in the unity of three components: a certain spectrum of feelings, a special system of values and an effective position, which has a manifestation in various social practices; neglecting one of these components leads to significant distortion of patriotism, or in general, makes it impossible. 3) The analysis of patriotism and nationalism was carried out, the areas of contact and demarcation of these phenomena were identified based on the approaches available in the modern philosophical discourse. 4) The existing approaches to the moral and ethical dimensions of patriotism were analyzed, the optics of recognizing patriotism as the main civic virtue, inherent in the national tradition, were recorded. 5) It is proven that, taking into account the challenges of the age of globalization, total informatization, the heterogeneity of the population of Ukraine (cultural, regional, national, etc.), the extremely complex geopolitical situation and the corresponding military threats, military-patriotic education should become the main component of national patriotic education, and not only in times of military threat but for the long-term prospective. The conducted study opens up a wide range of prospects for further research in the scientific theoretical and scientific practical direction.