TERMINOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PEDAGOGICAL ESSENCE OF THE MAIN CATEGORIES AND CONCEPTS WITHIN THE PROBLEMS OF YOUTH SPIRITUAL AND MORAL EDUCATION (ACCORDING TO THE HERITAGE OF G. VASHCHENKO)
Authors: PETRENKO L. 
Published: October 2022

On the basis of the analysis of the source base for the purpose of holistic study of the investigated problem, clarification and specification of the categorical and conceptual apparatus of the research, it is necessary to carry out an analysis of the main concepts of its terminological field, which dynamically and comprehensively reflect the ways of development of the system of spiritual and moral upbringing and education of Ukrainian youth in the pedagogical heritage of G. Vashchenko. In the context of the study, the concept of "spirituality" is defined as one of the scientific categories; therefore, we will begin the analysis of the terminological apparatus with an encyclopedic-dictionary interpretation of the category "spirituality" and related definitions. Justifying the importance of using the definition "spirituality" in relation to the legacy of G. Vashchenko, let us emphasize the need to clarify the term "spirit", which is the root of the concept of "spirituality" and reflects its initial essence.

Summarizing the data of the terminological analysis of literary sources, it is important to emphasize that the categories "spirituality", "spirit" and "soul" are interpreted in the most general sense as:

– a person's ability to personal, meaningful self-determination, self-creation and culture creation;

– a property that provides an opportunity to complement individual existence with the world of moral, cultural, religious values and to play the role of a guiding principle for other abilities;

- a set of mental phenomena that reveal the individual world of a person, its main features; ideals, beliefs, moral qualities, explain the individual's motivation towards ideal (knowing the world) and social (living for other’s needs);

- the quality of a person, which is manifested in his ability to appreciate his place in the history of the people and to create good, beauty, bear the truth, and protect nature.

The analysis of research on the content and application options of the definition of "spirituality" in the legacy of G. Vashchenko shows that the teacher considered it in inseparable unity with the concepts of "folk culture", "folk creativity", since these concepts are interrelated and interdependent constants, according to the scientist, play a major role in the education of young people. The conducted research allows us to state that the concept of "spirituality" is considered, firstly, as a person's ability for meaningful self-determination, self-creation and creation of cultural values; secondly, as a property that provides the possibility of filling the individual being with the world of moral, cultural, religious values; thirdly, as a set of mental phenomena that reveals the individual world of a person, its main features: beliefs, ideals, moral qualities. This gives reason to consider the category "spirituality" as a phenomenon and as a sign of the pedagogical process. "Morality" as a category that refers to customs, regulates human behavior in all spheres of social life and thus supports certain social norms, order in life, communication. A detailed analysis of the terminological-conceptual apparatus of the research made it possible to find out that the pedagogical essence of spiritual and moral values and norms in the legacy of G. Vashchenko are revealed through a specific sphere of definitions and concepts that outline the ways defined by the teacher for the formation of the spiritual and moral consciousness of young people and mastering its moral and ethical qualities on national and religious grounds.