LARYSA LEVCHUK IN UKRAINIAN AESTHETICS: THE CULTUROSOPHICAL INTERPRETATION

Abstract

B a c k g r o u n d . The article is dedicated to Larysa Levchuk, a well-known researcher of aesthetics, art historian, Doctor of Science (Philosophy), Professor, and Head of the Department of Ethics, Aesthetics and Cultural Studies from 1976 to 2002. All her professional life, from 1962 to 2015, was connected with the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. The purpose of the research is to analyze the work of Larysa Levchuk in the fields of education, science, and philosophy, with a primary focus on aesthetics. To achieve this purpose, the article (1) characterizes her definition of aesthetics; (2) outlines her main accomplishments in the educational, academic, and organizational activities of Kyiv University; and (3) identifies the main achievements of her scholarly work.

M e t h o d s . The methodological approach of the study is based on the concept of philosophy as a way of life (P. Hadot), implemented in the context of a biographical turn in the humanities. This involves a culturosophical interpretation of the philosopher's life in the unique context of its place and time.

R e s u l t s . The study considers the life and academic activity of Professor Levchuk through the lens of her concept of aesthetics as a science of the shaping and development of human sensuality. Through aesthetic education, a person can cultivate sensuality, primarily by engaging with the sphere of art. This conviction prompted Professor Levchuk to guide her students onto the path of aesthetics, both literally and figuratively. She was a brilliant speaker: students and colleagues alike gathered to hear her lectures. She was an excellent organizer of academic work, a thoughtful and disciplined researcher, the author of nine sole-authored books, around one hundred and fifty scholarly articles and conference papers, and the co-author of seven textbooks on aesthetics and cultural studies. She helped many young scholars pave their way into academic life, thereby shaping their destinies.

C o n c l u s i o n s . The study of the life and creative activity of Professor Levchuk should be continued. Her academic legacy awaits researchers who will actualize it for new generations of Ukrainian scholars in the humanities within the context of national culture and the challenges of Ukrainian identity.