Origins and development of the Ukrainian geosophical thought

Abstract

The origins of the Ukrainian geosophical thought during the Old-Kyiv and Cossack times are characterized in the proposed article. It is stressed that the first works in the Old-Ukrainian literature that contained geographical information and had geosophical contents were the “Askold’s Chronicle» and the “The Tale of the Past Years». It is marked that the Ukrainian geosophical thought was further developed in the works by Petro Mohyla and Feofan Prokopovych at the beginning of the New times. It is stressed on the great significance for the development of the Ukrainian geosophy that anthropogeographical and geopolitical works created by the Academician Stepan Rudnytsky had. His point of view on the sacral and geographical role of some landscapes is noted. The contents of the Baltic and Black-Sea geopolitical doctrine are characterized from the geosophical perspective. The Academician S. Rudnytsky’s point of view on the issue of the natural (“ready») and artificial (“non-ready») international boundaries is lined. His view on the structure of the Ukrainian national land space, which consists of core, boundary (settled with the neighbour ethnicities together) and colonized (which are settled compactly by the Diaspora) territories, is characterized. The contents of the Black-Sea geopolitical doctrine created by Yuri Lypa is described and characterized. From the geosophical point of view presented by Vyacheslav Lypynsky, Yevhen Malanyuk and Yuliyan Vassyyan it is stressed on the significance steppe in Ukraine’s development. The gift for the genesis the Ukrainian geosophical thought made by Professor Volodymyr Kubiyovych is viewed. It is stressed on his development of Stepan Rudnytsky’s scientific ideas. It is also marked that the points of view on the boundaries of the Ukrainian national territory presented by S.Rudnytsky and V.Kybiyovych are reflected on the maps published in the “Atlas of the Ukrainian and Neighboring Lands». The evolution
of the V.Kubiyovych’s ideas on the organization of the Ukrainian national land space conditioned by geopolitical changes in Europe and whole world is lined. His view to Ukraine as a boundary country for the whole Europe is marked. It is stressed on the influence of the transport and geographical factor to the geosophical destiny of Ukraine. It is marked about the correspondence of the West and East influences in making state and political self-organization of Ukraine made by Ivan Lysiak-Rudnytsky. The role of the works by Professor Oleh Shabliy in the development of Ukrainian geosophical thought and studying its genesis is characterized.