EUROPEAN RATIONALITY: THE FOUNDATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY

Abstract. The issue of ethical aspects of civil society has gained considerable attention in academic circles over the past two decades. A lot of studies on this topic have been created by philosophers, sociologists, and experts in the field of political and legal thought. However, despite the considerable scientific achievements, theoretical debates on the definition and theoretical foundations of the concept of civil society continue, as reflections on this topic remain extremely controversial. The article emphasizes that against the background of significant contradictions between postmaterial and material values, European countries have been increasingly aware of the importance of mental and intellectual activity for the social structure of a person and ensuring a decent standard of living. The idea of creating a rational secular civil society, or social rationality, which involves organizing social life in accordance with the requirements of reason, is once again becoming relevant at a new level. One of the main achievements of twentieth-century philosophy was the recognition that rationality is the basis for activity in general, as well as for civic engagement in particular. The analysis of the literature shows that the study of civil society is methodologically linked to the development of political rationality in Western societies. The aspects of the formation of the power of reason in the European social context are considered in detail.