Public consciousness and its structure

Public consciousness and its structure is a reflection of the existing reality in the ideas, characters, thoughts of people. It has certain characteristics and develops according to its own laws. This is a complex structure, which can be divided into vertical and horizontal foreshortenings. Let's try to consider this issue in more detail.

Public consciousness and its structure in a vertical perspective is divided into two main categories: epistemological and sociological. In the first version, it is considered how public consciousness influences being. Under the epistemological approach, the theoretical and ordinary levels of consciousness are distinguished. In the first case, certain systems of ideas, laws, views are studied. The ordinary level of consciousness involves the consideration of true or false knowledge associated with the daily activities of man. These can be prejudices, superstitions, delusions.

With the sociological approach, the main difference between levels of social consciousness is the way of communication and expression of the interests of various social groups and individual classes. Here we can also distinguish two categories: ideology and social psychology. Ideology is a purposefully formed self-awareness of individual classes. Social psychology studies the thoughts, traditions, feelings and moods of certain social groups. It is formed more spontaneously than ideology.

Public consciousness and its structure can also be viewed in a horizontal perspective. Here you can select many of its forms. Economic consciousness presupposes relations and activity of people in the process of production work and consumption. This level is closely related to the daily life of a person.

Political consciousness can be viewed from the standpoint of social psychology, as well as ideology. In the first case, it presupposes feelings and representations of people about power and the state. The second implies systematic political views, theories.

Legal public consciousness and its structure are representations and views of people relating to existing legal norms. It arises with the emergence of the state and social classes.

Religious consciousness is a representation of people about the supernatural. Here there is a doubling of the existing reality. For a religious person, there is both a real and an other world.

Moral consciousness is the totality of certain principles that determine behavior in a society. It was formed in a primitive society. Maintains moral consciousness, mainly through public opinion and habit. It is considered the basis for the interaction of man and society.

Aesthetic consciousness is a representation of people about a perfect and imperfect reality. It is expressed mainly through art.

Scientific consciousness is an objective knowledge of various aspects of reality. It can relate to virtually any social and natural phenomena.

We examined the basic forms of consciousness. However, modern scholars single out one more - philosophical consciousness. Its purpose is to distinguish patterns in nature and society, and on their basis to draw certain conclusions. Philosophical consciousness is a kind of "frame" of spiritual culture. This discipline deals with the study of almost all aspects of being.

In conclusion, it can be noted that the public and individual consciousness have many differences among themselves, but they are in constant interaction.