Modern philosophy of Azerbaijan

Within  the  recent years such questions of philosophy as the practice of state-building, globalization on the socio-economic, cultural and moral development,  Azerbaijan and the global world,  Eastern and Western civilizations’ dialogue, the interaction of these civilizations, etc. have been attentively studied  In Azerbaijan, integrating in the system of economic relations and democratic values. 

A  number of certain organizational measures are implemented in Azerbaijan in the process of forming of the environment for the philosophical thought, which can be considered as another successful period of Azerbaijan’ independent development.  The international conference held in Baku in 2002 (Azerbaijan University) and aimed to organize and provide links between the Azerbaijan public philosophy and the philosophers of Russia and Turkey, was an important step in restoring the creative communications once lost. After that, Azerbaijani philosophers- researchers regularly participate in conferences organized in Russia and Turkey. Azerbaijani writers are also involved in the creation of the Globastika encyclopedia, published in Moscow in the Russian and English languages. Participation of Azerbaijani delegation in the International Congresses of Metaphysics in Rome (August 2000, July 2003), at the XXI World Congress of philosophers in Istanbul (August 2003), a conference of sociologists in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in Istanbul (December 2003), the International conferences of Phenomenology (Oxford University in 2004, The Netherlands, August 2005), I International Forum of Turkic-speaking peoples’ sociologists (the city of Izmit, October 2005) shows the expansion of international creative communications. During the recent Baku has hosted a number of activities on philosophical subjects. 

The establishment of the Azerbaijan Association of Philosophy and Social and Political Sciences in 2002 (led by R. Mehdiyev) has contributed to a closer unity of the philosophers. In the same year in Azerbaijan published Philosophy and Social and Political Science magazine.  With the Association’s initiative, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Karl Popper and Jean-Paul Sarti, the 200th anniversary of the death of Kant and Feuerbach\'s birth, the 300th anniversary of John Locke’s death were solemnly marked, articles about their life and work were published, which is an important step in the integration of Azerbaijan philosophical society into the world philosophical thought. With the initiative of the Azerbaijan Association of Philosophy and Social and Political Science international events to promote the history of the national philosophical thought were solemnly held, including particularly noteworthy commemorative event to mark the 850th anniversary of the prominent Azerbaijani philosopher Yahya Suhrawardi (with the publication of books on the anniversary eve) as well as the commemorative event to mark the 95th anniversary of the academician Haydar Heydarov. The International Day of Philosophy is celebrated annually in November. 

The international scientific conference «East and West: common moral values, scientific and cultural relations, dedicated to the anniversary of Professor Aida Imanguliyeva (October 2004), was attended by prominent philosophers from the United States, Turkey and Russia, which is considered an important event in the philosophical community in Azerbaijan. In the course of the next conference (Fall 2005) East and West: a bridge between philosophy the International Association of Scholars was established. 

Despite the significant steps in the development of philosophical and socio-political thought in Azerbaijan\'s independence, it is necessary to improve the organizational work and the scientific and creative process in this area.