The Projective Nature of Utopia and its Unfalsifiability

The article examines various analytical approaches to utopias in their implicit connection to the principles of rationalism and their overtly projective character. Utopias construct an image of a blessed place where a cer-tain ideal of the common good has been achieved. However, there exists an ontological and epistemological contradiction, evident in the fact that the term “a place that does not exist” refers to a rational project that should be implemented. This yields a circular reasoning, where utopia, being by definition something irrational, utilizes the image of an ideal society and the aspiration toward it to seek for ways to create it. The pathways to the reali-zation of utopia can be delineated in a fully logical and purposeful manner. This creates a problem for the criti-cal detection of utopias, since they and the ways of their implementation can be rationally justified. Conclusion dwells upon the fact that the projective nature of utopia, coupled with its argumentation towards rational natural history, has repeatedly led to attempts to resolve the “social question” once and for all.

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Publication Details

Journal
Общество философия история культура
Published
2025-01-22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.24158/fik.2025.1.5
Primary Topic
Political Economy and Marxism
Type
article
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article

The Projective Nature of Utopia and its Unfalsifiability

Zhelnova Alexandra M.
Общество философия история культура
Political Economy and Marxism
article

The Projective Nature of Utopia and its Unfalsifiability

Zhelnova Alexandra M.
article en

Abstract

The article examines various analytical approaches to utopias in their implicit connection to the principles of rationalism and their overtly projective character. Utopias construct an image of a blessed place where a cer-tain ideal of the common good has been achieved. However, there exists an ontological and epistemological contradiction, evident in the fact that the term “a place that does not exist” refers to a rational project that should be implemented. This yields a circular reasoning, where utopia, being by definition something irrational, utilizes the image of an ideal society and the aspiration toward it to seek for ways to create it. The pathways to the reali-zation of utopia can be delineated in a fully logical and purposeful manner. This creates a problem for the criti-cal detection of utopias, since they and the ways of their implementation can be rationally justified. Conclusion dwells upon the fact that the projective nature of utopia, coupled with its argumentation towards rational natural history, has repeatedly led to attempts to resolve the “social question” once and for all.

Общество философия история культура(1)
Openalex Percentile: Top 99%
Political Economy and Marxism
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The Projective Nature of Utopia and its Unfalsifiability — Zhelnova Alexandra M. · Общество философия история культура (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS