Comprehending rationality as a way of spiritual existence

The actualization of the topic of rationality is caused not only by the scientization of the spheres of knowledge, life and activity, the emergence of techno-scientific reality on their basis, but also by the formation of a special type of consciousness on its basis. The author carries out a philosophical rethinking of the topic through the connection of rationality with the Greco-Roman doctrine of logos and the discovery of the image of the “subject”. In this he is helped by two strategies of philosophy, founded by A. Badiou in the 21st century. The first one reveals the ratio structure, which is defined through the clarity of the boundaries of reflection (R. Descartes), the “doctrinal tradition” (M. Foucault), the “disciplinarymatrix” (R. Rorty). Within these limits, spirit is subordinated to the system, regulations, being brought up through mentoring, transfer of meanings, values, methods. The second strategy links ratio with a radical transformation of a personality, “a complete reversal of existence,” following not a strict hierarchy of learning, knowledge, but to the internal and external dialogue of a personality. The spiritual world of a man, within which rationality is grounded, changes by the 16th - 17th centuries as follows: 1) the self is transformed into subjectivity (sovereignty); 2) the practice of thinking, reading, writing (self-alienation, reflection) is established; 3) the process of cognition, existence is expressed through the procedure of domination (summing up under the ratio). Modo (“relevance”), which is revealed in the act of the subject’s collision with himself as a “hypokemenon” - the basis through which all understanding and action is carried out, acquires a special significance. The type of consciousness based on rationality begins to reveal itself in activity, action, will. These methods substantiate a new inner self- understanding, a spiritual transformation of a person, not yet fully realized by modern culture.