Hierocrat's ethnoconfessionalism and "academic profane's" universalism: characterization of epistemological discourse in politary society

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the socio-cultural situation, which was the background for the deployment of epistemological discourse in the politary society (ancient Egypt, ancient India and China, the medieval Arab-Muslim world, etc.). Strained and conflict relationship between "academic profanes", who enthusiastically and altruistically reveal the mysteries of the universe, and dignitary hierocrats, who yearn for total control over the processes and results cognitive studies of all kinds, is in the center of attention. As primary sources used, mainly texts of scientists-encyclopedists, worked in the Muslim countries of the Middle East, and especially Abu Rayhan Al-biruni" ones. The conflict above cognitive trends is seen through the prism of the conceptual opposition "the ethnoconfessional — the universal". Ethnic and confessional limitations which differ politary hierocracy, make it immune to serious epistemological innovations and make see the danger in any attempt to adjust the dominant religious worldview. On the contrary, common objects of study (some fragments of the universe), the universal empirical and theoretical methods used by scientists of various countries contribute to overcoming the ethnic and confessional barriers and form sinhronic and diachronic commonwealths intellectuals on the model of the "Republic of scholars' or "Invisible College"