PhD, Associate professor M.A. El'murzaev
PhD I.A. Panchenko
National Mineral Resources University "Mining University", St. Petersburg

Keywords: physical recreation, methodology, individualism, holism, subject, domain area.

Introduction. The problem of subject is the most pressing problem in any field of scientific knowledge. A matter of subject – is the matter of reason for existence of this phenomenon. The real task of science is not simply establish a fact itself, describe its features, concepts, categories, but also allocate the subject of a certain science, comprising its content and essence. Any science without its own subject has no specific research methods and the method of reality cognition can become scientific only in case it is adequate towards the studied subject, reflects its basic properties and cannot fall outside its limits. This is getting even more pressing when the accumulated data on the subject of physical recreation, not regulated by logic, can not only discourage creation of its theory, but also hinder this process.

Objective of the study was to theoretically substantiate and clarify a common conception of the subject and domain areas of physical recreation in the problem scope of the interconnected scientific disciplines.

Results and discussion. At the initial phase of development of knowledge about physical recreation, allocation of its subject was based on the principle of individualism. For a reason, it was considered that this phenomenon belongs to a certain individual, hence, personal characteristics of the individual, his physical health in particular are the subject of physical recreation. The methodological principle of individualism is explained by the laws of general, differential psychology and psychophysiology, which, in turn, derive from the biological laws. Man’s physical health was selected as an initial unit of analysis of the subject of physical recreation due to the historically developed conception of the given phenomenon: physical recreation is to restore the psychophysical potential by means of motor activity.

One of the shortcomings of using the principle of individualism in allocation of the subject of physical recreation is that it is regarded as a sort of closed system limited by the framework of human (biological) nature, exclusion of physical recreation from social context, sociocultural environment, conditions of which are necessary for its functioning. Methodological principle of individualism in allocation of the subject of physical recreation had a considerable impact on its numerous theoretical and empirical studies; it was also pivotal in modern scientific researches.

Another methodological principle of allocation of the subject of physical recreation, less studied in modern science, is based on the concepts of holism. Society, social system are considered as something transcendental in relation to its members, serve as incentives of their behavior and activity. In terms of holism, the subject of physical recreation is a group, and the regulator of joint recreational activities, intragroup processes are the forms of public consciousness: group norms, standards, values, ideals, psychological climate in the group. In this case, a particular person with his individual characteristics as the main carrier of physical recreation is left unnoticed.

The methodological principle of holism in allocation of the subject of physical recreation is mostly prevalent in foreign studies, where a particular man possessing individual and psychological features remains out of researchers’ sight, merges in the group acting as a key determinant of his behavior. At the same time, particular attention is paid to social class of the individuals involved in recreational activities, especially to the ones falling into risk groups: the unemployed, immigrants, people with deviant behavior etc.

Individualism and holism are two conventional methodological principles of allocation of the subject of physical recreation. There is some kind of mismatch and in some cases even inconsistency between them, therefore this prevents from solving the problem of the subject of physical recreation in its integrity and indivisibility. In the first case, the subject of physical recreation focuses on the particular individual, his physical health, in the latter case – on inclusion of an individual in any social group; intragroup norms and relationships in the group are regulated by his activity and behavior.

To date, the system approach is the only way to overcome the shortcomings of these two principles in allocation of the subject of physical recreation. System approach involves not just a summation of individual and public, but also allocation of the system-forming attribute of the subject basing on the synthesis of scientific disciplines studying it. The function of any theory is to allocate the subject and domain areas of the cognizable phenomenon, its system-forming feature by using the power of abstraction, that will help determine the scientific strategy for conducting certain empirical studies [3].   

Allocation of the backbone feature of physical recreation composing the main subject of its research is a rather challenging task. Physical recreation is studied in various natural-scientific, social sciences and humanities and each scientific discipline has its own conception of the subject of physical recreation, the backbone feature and judges its subject from the perspective of own particular science, reflects various sides, features, qualities in the subject.

V.M. Vydrin, one of the most active and reputable researchers of physical recreation in domestic science, who considers physical recreation as one of the most important challenges of physical education of a modern man, allocates the final outcome as the backbone feature of physical recreation – promotes proper functioning of the human body [2].

It is not accidental that the author allocates man’s physical health, health of his body as a backbone attribute of physical recreation. Firstly, it is explained by traditionally formed perception of physical recreation as a tool for restoration, recovery of the human body. Secondly, there is a trend to deterioration of physical health of most Russians, reduced life duration, increase in the number of people with impairments, which emphasize the relevance of the present research.

There are other less popular approaches to allocation of the backbone feature of physical recreation due to a variety of scientific disciplines studying it, therefore, due to the variety of approaches to allocation of its subject. These approaches fail to meet our requirements, not because they are false, mistaken, but because they are based as a rule only on one aspect, particular area of physical recreation, often ignoring the other, and thus, not allowing to consider it as a system phenomenon. This is not a matter of various views of authors on the subject of physical recreation, but this is due to intensive development of knowledge of physical recreation that it appears in a large variety of realities.

Basic natural sciences include anatomy, physiology, healthcare, valeology; social sciences – history, philosophy, sociology, economics, jurisprudence; humanities – psychology, pedagogics, religious studies, culturology. Each of the listed sciences of different cycles has its own concept of the subject of physical recreation. The analysis of the subject is more successful if the domain areas of cognizable phenomenon are clearly identified being within the competence of the particular science and supporting its theories – philosophy, history, sociology, biology etc.

However, this list of basic scientific disciplines studying physical recreation is rather conventional. There is a wide range of scientific disciplines arising and developing “at the junction” of the named sciences. For instance, social medicine, social hygiene are developing at the junction of natural and social sciences; social psychology, religion philosophy and others - at the junction of social and humanitarian sciences. These complementary disciplines form various domain areas rather than its subject in its integrity and certainty. Yet, they all contribute to creation of the physical recreation theory, formation of its basic concepts and definitions [4].

When allocating the subject of physical recreation we should not merely list the scientific disciplines studying it, but follow the way of creating their coherent description taken as a basis for the idea of fundamental disciplines, proceeding from the most widespread definitions. For physical recreation such basic scientific disciplines are the theories of physical education and general recreation.

It should be noted that the subject scope of physical recreation does not coincide with the subject framework of physical education and general recreation in many respects. The subject scope of physical education comprises teaching and educational tasks solved by pedagogical sciences. General recreation covers a wider range of knowledge about subject and includes optimization of not only man’s physical health, but also mental health, spiritual, social, socio-psychological development of a personality and social relations as a target vector [5].

The field of study of physical recreation, allocation of its main subject is intensively extended by social and humanities disciplines: sociology, psychology, culturology etc. generating new research domain areas of its research. These scientific disciplines significantly contribute to the future more profound development of the theory of physical recreation and scientific disciplines often acting as the logical components of these cycles.

Only domestic science has around 40 most common definitions of physical recreation, which are derived mainly from the subject of subdisciplines. At the same time, some of them are rather abstract and do not reflect the main essence and subject of the cognizable phenomenon. The following examples of the physical recreation definition cannot be considered adequate: “a room where pupils spend time during breaks”, “action plan aimed at restoration of stamina”, “pedagogically organized motor activity, targeted at operational restoration of chronically or pathologically reduced working capacity” and “general concept of physical recreation is based on the patters of such categories as sport training”. It is obvious that physical education and sport activities cannot be based on the laws of physical training that contradicts its actual essence – accessibility and voluntariness. It is also clear that the development strategy of health and fitness activities resolves not only into general medical examination of the population and promotion of recreational services. These are important, but private aspects of the physical recreation problem, which do not fully highlight its main subject, integrity and indivisibility and certain severity. All of the listed concepts of physical recreation have no accurate, logical definition distinguishing its fundamental distinctive features, the scope of the cognizable phenomenon and cannot be considered fair [1].

Conclusions. To date, there is no common idea of the subject and domain areas of physical recreation due to a variety of scientific disciplines, studying it, that consider the disciplines in terms of particular science. There arise new scientific disciplines that study the problems of physical recreation, new domain areas of its research, which no longer "fit fully in the theory of its generic concepts - physical culture and general recreation". This situation significantly complicates creation of its theory, bringing the conceptual and categorical framework into a single admitted system.

References

1. Berdus M. Fizicheskaya rekreatsiya i meta teoreticheskie aspekty ee teorii (Physical recreation and meta-theoretical aspects of its theory) / M. Berdus // Chelovek v mire sporta: Novye idei, tekhnologii, perspektivy. Mezhdunarodnogo kongressa (Man in the world of sports: New ideas, technologies, and prospects. Proc. of International Congress). – Moscow, 1998. – V. 2. – P. 521–522.
2. Vydrin V.M. Fizicheskaya kul'tura kul'tury lichnosti i obshchestva (Physical culture - personality culture and social environment) / V.M. Vydrin. – St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg SAPhC n.a. P.F. Lesgaft, 2004. – 153 p.
3. Evstafev B.V. Analiz osnovnykh ponyatiy v teorii fizicheskoy kul'tury (Analysis of basic concepts in physical education theory) / B.V. Evstafev. – Leningrad: VIFK (RIPhC). 1985. – 117 p.
4. Kagan M.S. Filosofiya kul'tury (Philosophy of Culture) / M.S. Kagan. – St. Petersburg: Petropolis, 1996. – 416 p.
5. El'murzaev M.A. Vvedenie v teoriyu fizicheskoy rekreatsii: ucheb. posobie (Introduction to physical recreation theory: study guide) / M.A. El'murzaev. – St. Petersburg: Politekhnicheskiy universitet (Polytechnical University), 2015. – 249 p.

Corresponding author: m.a.08@mail.ru

Abstract
Formation of any scientific discipline begins with selection of its basic characteristics, abstracting from all random, insignificant ones, introduced from outside, i.e. allocation of specific features that distinguish the phenomenon being learnt from other similar phenomena. To date, there is no common idea of the subject and domain areas of physical recreation due to a variety of scientific disciplines, studying it, that consider the disciplines in terms of particular science. There arise new scientific disciplines that study the problems of physical recreation, new domain areas of its research, which no longer "fit fully in the theory of its generic concepts - physical culture and general recreation". This situation significantly complicates creation of its theory, bringing the conceptual and categorical framework into a single admitted system.
The article deals with the results of theoretical study and clarification of the common conception of the subject and domain areas of physical recreation in a variety of scientific disciplines studying it, methodological principles of allocation of the subject of physical recreation, individualism and holism, ways to overcome the shortcomings of these principles in allocation of the subject of physical recreation.