Azerbaijani philosophy as an integral part of the philosophy of the turkic world

Abstract

The term "Azerbaijani philosophy" was initially introduced during the first half of the 20th century. Scholars explored the rich cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people, whose roots trace back to ancient times, even to the era of the "Avesta." They studied the medieval literature of poets such as Nizami Ganjavi, Fizuli, Nasimi, Naimi, and many others, finding philosophical elements in their works. They systematized all the acquired knowledge and acknowledged that Azerbaijani philosophy had a rightful place in the world of philosophy. However, existing as an independent entity in the South Caucasus, a region bordering Turkey, Iran, Russia, and several Arab states, presented a formidable challenge. Undoubtedly, there has been a shift away from uniqueness and distinctiveness towards universalism and the exchange of ideas. Furthermore, Azerbaijani philosophy had long evolved exclusively within the realm of Islamic philosophical thought. However, starting from the second half of the 19th century, a sense of national identity began to form in society, and an understanding of commonality with Turkic peoples emerged in terms of language, culture, customs, and way of life, beliefs, and philosophical traditions. The ideology of the Soviet era took over pro-Turkic thinking and dominated for the next 70 years. It was only towards the end of the 20th century that Azerbaijani philosophy continued its natural development within the framework of national Turkic philosophical thought. A significant place in the history of Azerbaijani philosophical thought is occupied by the philosophy of enlightenment that developed at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. For its proponents, questions of national identity and relations with the Islamic and Turkic world were no less important than questions related to the reform of traditional norms and the integration of scientific knowledge into public consciousness. This study addresses the question of why the development of Azerbaijani philosophy within the realm of Turkic philosophical thought will enable a more effective resolution of the philosophical issues that arise on the path of the state's further development. Термін «азербайджанська філософія» вперше був введений у першій половині 20 століття. Вчені досліджували багату культурну спадщину азербайджанського народу, коріння якої сягає глибокої давнини, аж до епохи «Авести». Вони вивчали середньовічну літературу таких поетів, як Нізамі Гянджеві, Фізулі, Насімі, Наїмі та багатьох інших, знаходячи в їхніх творах філософські елементи. Вони систематизували всі набуті знання і визнали, що азербайджанська філософія займає належне місце у світі філософії. Однак існувати як незалежний суб’єкт на Південному Кавказі, регіоні, що межує з Туреччиною, Іраном, Росією та кількома арабськими державами, було серйозним викликом. Безсумнівно, відбувся зсув від унікальності та самобутності до універсалізму та обміну ідеями. Крім того, азербайджанська філософія довгий час розвивалася виключно в царині ісламської філософської думки.