The Concept of Chronos in the Cultural and Civilizational Dimension

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to analyse the concept of Chronos in the cultural and civilizational dimension, in particular its role in the formation of worldview, philosophical and socio-cultural representations of different epochs and civilizations, as well as the specifics of the interpretation of time in different cultures, its influence on the structure of social relations, art, human life. The research methodology is based on the paradigm of systematicity, which involves the use of methods and approaches from various sciences – cultural studies, history, philosophy, art history. Scientific novelty. An attempt has been made to comprehend the concept of Chronos as a key element of cultural and civilizational development, which makes it possible to reveal its meaning not only as a category of time, but also as a structural element of cultural paradigms in various civilizational traditions, taking into account the influence on the formation of worldview and artistic concepts. Conclusions. The concept of Chronos is key to understanding time in its cultural and civilizational dimension as a social, historical and artistic and is aesthetic phenomenon and one of the central categories in cultural studies, since the perception and organisation of time has a significant impact on the formation of cultural traditions, worldview and the mentality of any society. Its interpretation changed in different historical periods and depended on the particularities of worldview systems and philosophical traditions. In ancient Greek philosophy, Chronos symbolised a linear, objective and inexorable flow of time, as opposed to Kairos – the moment of a favourable opportunity. In its mythological aspect, the image of Chronos was intertwined with ideas about divine time, which later received a Christian understanding as earthly, sinful and irreversible. Medieval Christian tradition contrasted Chronos with the eternity of God, giving it the meaning of waiting for the Day of Judgment. In the New Age and the Modern period, the concept of time underwent significant transformations under the influence of science and technology. It began to be perceived as a measurable and controllable quantity, which was reflected in industrial society. In the postmodern era, Chronos is deconstructed, and its understanding is transformed by the emergence of new technologies, digitalisation, and non-linear concepts. Virtual reality, digital communication, and globalisation contribute to the blurring of the boundaries of time, turning Chronos into a variable and fragmented category. And technological progress and the pursuit of productivity lead to the fragmentation of time, attention deficit syndrome, and human exhaustion.