, , TOLERANCE AS AN ETHICAL PRINCIPLE AND MORAL QUALITY OF THE PERSONALITY: A PHILOSOPHICAL AND HISTORICAL RETROSPECTIVE // BSU bulletin. Philosophy. - 2018. №3. Философия. Philosophy. - С. 80-86.

TOLERANCE AS AN ETHICAL PRINCIPLE AND MORAL QUALITY OF THE PERSONALITY: A PHILOSOPHICAL AND HISTORICAL RETROSPECTIVE

DOI: 10.18101/1994-0866-2018-3-4-80-86 UDK: 17.021.2(091)

The article discusses the transformation of the ideas, peculiarities and manifestation of tol- erance as a phenomenon of social life. We emphasize that the outstanding thinkers of hu- mankind consider tolerance not only as a means and mechanism of dealing with disputes, controversy and conflicts in the society. The main tendency in their observations was the belief in ontological roots of tolerance in the life of people and humankind, its understand- ing as consciously formatted moral virtue and ethical principle of coexistence and coopera- tion. We draw a line between external tolerance, which is not rooted in the moral con- sciousness of people and society, and internal tolerance as a cultural tradition, social and psychological phenomenon, i. e. the ability to understand, respect and support, the readi- ness to accept others as they are and cooperate with them on the basis of agreement and solidarity. Today the most effective way for becoming a tolerant personality is thought to be the principle of dialogue that enables to unite in people’s mind and behavior various cultural values and norms, forms of activity and communication. We have concluded that modern situation of tolerance is a situation of dialogue that leads through mutual criticism and self-criticism towards mutual understanding.

tolerance; ethical principle; moral virtue; moral quality; cultural regulations; conflict; interaction; dialogue; ethical attitude.