The main directions of evolution of the psyche in the context of ontological and differential-integrative approaches. Part 1

Abstract

The article is devoted to the development of A.N.Leontiev's classical periodization of phylogeny of the psyche in the context of modern scientific data on psychical and morpho-physiological organization of different groups of living organisms. The following thesis is substantiated: at the present stage of scientific development the continuous division of the evolution of the psyche into several stages and levels does not reflect the specificity of the process. Based on A.N.Severtsov's theory we distinguish the main directions of evolution of the psyche: aromorphosis, idioadaptation, degeneration. In the first part of the article we develop instruments of analysis of the evolution of the psychic image based on ontological and differential-integrative approaches; further these instruments are used to analyze major aromorphoses of psychic development. It is shown how lateral idioadaptation and degenerative lines of evolution of the psyche gradually separate from the common stem of the evolution.