THE IDEA OF LOVE AND MERCY IN THE WESTERN PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Abstract

The phenomena of love and mercy are capable to «destroy» selfishness, secrecy and alienation of a modern man. They serve as the most perfect form of human relationships, because they are based on the understanding of another human as a value. Love and mercy establish the responsibility for another human, care for another, participation in another's life. The mentioned aspects of the phenomena under consideration are represented in the Western philosophical thought of the 20th century. The purpose of our study is to analyze the notions of the phenomena of love and mercy in the Western philosophical thought of the 20th century and to show the close connection of these phenomena due to their common spiritual foundation and value orientations. Historical and philosophical, axiological, hermeneutic and critical methods are the main methods of the research. The results of this study relate to the identification of the common values foundations of the phenomena of love and mercy in the Western philosophical thought of the 20th century. The novelty of our research is the formulated approach, according to which the phenomena of love and mercy is analyzed in their close connection. The author finds their common values bases and semantic orientations. The author`s conclusion is that in the Western philosophical thought of the 20th century the phenomenon of mercy appears as a derivative of the phenomenon of love. The phenomena of love and mercy are closely connected. Love and mercy also serve to affirm themselves in human's life. They are perfect forms of human relationships.