Problem of the method of culturology

The article is devoted to one of the most interesting and complex problems of modern cultural studies - the problem of the method. Since their inclusion under the name "culturology" sciences existing in Russia, where dedicated to determining its method. Up to the date the structure of the method, its essence, the connection of the cognizing subject with the object of cognition, the choice of the way of studying culture, etc. are subject to problematization. The authors of the article undertook an analysis of the previous, in their opinion, the most interesting attempts to formulate the method of cultural sciences and to discuss their strengths and weaknesses. Among the considered formulations of the method, the theory of the "bush", the paradigmatic approach and others are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the study of the philosophical essence of the method of cultural sciences. Such a conclusion derives from the integrity of object under study which influences the method. The role in method determination accorded to the principles used by the researcher, as well as to the importance of cultural axiology. Special attention is devoted to the category of time as one of the most important characteristics of culture and the method of its study. The authors express the idea that the requirement of the principle that a culturologist must follow in carrying out his research problematizes the role of technology and technical means in the study of culture. While it is of undoubted value for analyzing specific manifestations of culture, technology is less important in characterizing culture since it does not allow for broad generalizations. Authors emphasized that the modern development of technology can introduce complexity not only to the definition of the method of cultural sciences, but also could place into question the existing definitions of culture, for it alternates the physical nature of a person through such agglomerations as the strengthening of human thinking by implanting computer chips into the human brain.