Turkic philosophy is the Spiritual Source of Kazakh Philosophical Thought

Abstract

The article examines the Turko-Kazakh philosophical tradition, which embodies a vast reservoir of intellectual and spiritual experience. The authors, considering Turkic philosophical thought as the foundational source of Kazakh philosophy, emphasize that the ethical worldview of the Kazakhs reflects the continuity of two anthropological paradigms inherited from the legacy of medieval Muslim thinkers. The study explores the philosophical views of Korkyt Ata, the legendary sage and thinker, who served as a key representative of the fundamental ethical values of the Turkic peoples. The article highlights that the Turko-Kazakh philosophical tradition constitutes a remarkable phenomenon in global philosophical discourse, in which ethical concerns have always prevailed – questions of happiness, virtue, duty, and conscience. The authors particularly underscore the importance of engaging with the spiritual culture of the Kazakhs and reviving their unique national worldview, shaped by deep existential and value-based orientations.