Living Consciousness and the Cultural-Historical Method: Limits of Applicability

The methods of studying living consciousness and objectified consciousness are discussed. The cultural-historical method aims at managing objectified consciousness in the form of knowledge and skills with the help of symbolic structures, such as speech, logical thinking, and scientific concepts. The cultural-historical method is good at teaching ready-made knowledge in school, developing skills, restoring lost cognitive functions in patients, or forming cognitive and socio-moral forms of behaviour based on external control. However, this method is inapplicable to studying and managing living consciousness, such as feelings, emotions, imagination, genuine morality, and creative thinking.