Abstract

This article provides a philosophical analysis of the phenomenon of tolerance in the context of increasing social tension and the spread of various forms of intolerance in the modern world. This article examines the evolution of ideas about tolerance in a historical and philosophical context – from the ancient and medieval traditions through the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers to contemporary interpretations of the second half of the 20th and early 21st centuries. The paper analyzes the main approaches to understanding tolerance, presented in the works of foreign and domestic philosophers, and identifies their strengths and problems. The authors pay particular attention to the relationship between the concepts of «patience» and «tolerance», as well as the question of the limits of tolerance and the conditions under which it transforms into intolerance. The article substantiates the thesis that it is impossible to absolutize tolerance and the need to understand it as an ethical principle with certain limits related to respect for human rights and the preservation of social integrity. The authors conclude that further research on tolerance should focus on identifying the specifics of its manifestations and boundaries in various spheres of culture and social practice.

Key words: tolerance, patience, intolerance, person (people), differences, boundaries (limits) of tolerance.