Modern implementation of the natural-philosophical concept of cognition on the basis of the empirical-metaphysical general systems theory

The article examines the relationship between philosophy and science, as well as the possible role of general systems theory in the formation of the field of consolidated philosophical and scientific knowledge. It is argued that the existing arguments concerning the incompatibility of philosophy with the criteria of scientificity only point to the existence of differences between philosophical knowledge and knowledge within the framework of private sciences. At the same time, philosophy is the methodological and paradigmatic basis of all sciences. It is suggested that it is expedient to return to the natural-philosophical concept of cognition, according to which the core of science is philosophy, and private sciences act as tools of cognition of separate subject areas. The methodological basis for the realization of the natural-philosophical concept today can be the general theory of systems, supplemented by the ontological component. In the article the idea of a common field of knowledge formed by philosophy and all private sciences is put forward. This field of cognition is formed by areas of three types: metaphysical knowledge, private sciences, and areas of generalized or universal knowledge, the cognition of which can be carried out only by means of the general theory of systems. An extended version of the general theory of systems is proposed - the empirical-metaphysical general theory of systems, which, in the author’s opinion, possesses the necessary capabilities for the realization of philosophical cognition. The proposed general theory of systems includes an epistemological component (metaphysics of material being) as well as an ontological component. A cognition of complex non-deterministic objects within the framework of empirical-metaphysical general theory of systems is realized by a wide set of tools: collections of patterns and primitives of systems, secondary laws and properties of objects, evolutionary way of cognition and laws of evolutionary growth of complexity of systems, as well as methodology of formation of reliable knowledge.