The Problem of Consciousness in the Early Works of A.N. Leontiev

Background. The study of history and development of the theory has an independent value, especially when it comes to analyzing the development of the author’s viewpoint.
Objective. The work analyses provisions on the origin of consciousness in the early works of A.N. Leontiev.
Results. It is shown that A.N. Leontiev was to turn to the concept of activity in solving the problem of psyche development in phylo- and ontogenesis. He accepts the idea of L.S. Vygotsky, postulating that it is possible to find the key to consciousness in the way of life of a person as a social being. He, therefore, proposes to introduce the concept of activity as of a special way of life, a unit of life for living beings, realizing their active behaviour in adapting to the changing objective conditions of the surrounding space of activity. Thus, A.N. Leontiev associates the criterion of psyche not with the subjective experiences, but with irritability to abiotic signals as landmarks, i.e. with the influences that are not included directly into metabolism. It is demonstrated that in the early works of A.N. Leontiev the movement of his reflections on the problem of the origin and development of psyche, including consciousness, as its specific form is presented. Analyzing the process of generation of consciousness, A.N. Leontiev turns first of all to Marxist philosophical foundations as prerequisites for a psychological theory of consciousness. The main factor that requires a change in the natural psyche of a person is work activity, which requires a person to have new mental capabilities and sets tasks for awareness.
Conclusion. The main A.N. Leontiev’s ideas on consciousness and activity were formulated by the author in the 1930s. The position that it is activity that is the factor transferring requirements of life to the psyche of living beings, including humans, was the main achievement.

References

Leontiev, A.N. (1994). Philosophy of psychology. M.: Izd-vo MGU. (In Russ.).
Leontiev, A.A., Leontiev, D.A. (1994). Introduction. In A.N. Leontiev (Eds.),. Philosophy of psychology. (pp. 5–21). Moscow: Izd-vo MGU. (In Russ.).