Nikiforov, Valery Evgenievich

Born on February 4, 1948 in the city of Roslavl ^[1] .

In 1966 he graduated from high school with a silver medal and immediately entered the Riga Polytechnic Institute at the Faculty of Mechanics. During his studies, he showed interest in philosophy and the makings of a researcher, becoming the winner of the All-Union Competition of Student Scientific Works on Philosophy. Upon completion of the EPI, he was invited to philosophical postgraduate study at the Latvian State University . Yu. P. Vedin , head of the Department of Philosophy and Logic of Leningrad State University, became its supervisor.

He began to teach while still a graduate student: in September 1972 he was entrusted with reading philosophy at the Faculty of Foreign Languages ​​of Leningrad State University, and after graduating from a postgraduate study he was left to work in this department as a teacher (1974-1976).

In 1975, he defended his thesis “Modeling as a method of scientific research” ^[2] and continued to work at the department as a senior teacher (1976-1978), and then as an assistant professor (1978-1980).

He began research in a new subject area, which he calls problemology. At the same time, together with a group of colleagues, he trained company managers to apply collective creative activity methods in practice ^[2] , working with leading Latvian companies: VEF , Riga Carriage Building Plant , Dzintars JSC, Rigas modes , etc. At the same time, he used modern methods, such as such as morphological analysis , Delphic procedure , synectics , business games , brainstorming , etc.

From 1982 to 1992 V.E. Nikiforov headed the Department of Philosophy and Logic of Leningrad State University. He was elected twice to the post of head of the department ^[2] .

V. E. Nikiforov actively participated in various educational programs. He gave popular lectures (The Nature of Space and Time , Artificial Intelligence , Are We Alone in the Universe ?, etc.) through the Knowledge Society in many cities of the Soviet Union, from Riga to Siberian Nizhnevartovsk .

In 1989, at the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of System Research, he defended his thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy “Problem situation and problem: genesis, structure, functions. Methodological analysis ”and continued to work at the department as a professor (1990-1992).

In 1991, he was awarded the academic title of professor, and in 1992 , after the nostrification of Soviet diplomas in the Republic of Latvia , the academic degree of a habilitated doctor of philosophy.

With social changes in Latvia, V.E. Nikiforov was able to realize his idea of ​​the education and science of the future, creating together with a group of enthusiasts in 1992 the Baltic Russian Institute (now the Baltic International Academy , BMA). Until 1994, he was its director, and from 1994 to 2004, he was rector. He became a co-founder and was rector (2004-2005) of the second non-state university in Latvia - the Higher School of Psychology , director of the Scientific and Research Institute of Social and Humanitarian Problems of BMA.

In 2002 V.E. Nikiforov was elected a full member (academician) of the International Academy of Information Technologies and in 2004 - a full member of the International Academy of Higher Education Sciences ^[2] .

In 2004, V. E. Nikiforov and his partner, Professor S. A. Buka , decided to rename the Baltic Russian Institute into the Baltic International Academy, organizing training in three streams - Russian, English and Latvian ^[3] . Currently, students from 22 countries are studying at the academy ^[4] .

Currently, Valery Evgenievich is a co-founder, member of the board and chairman of the Academic Assembly of the Baltic International Academy and the Institute of Social and Humanitarian Problems.

Philosophy attracted V.E. Nikiforov and his students in that it always strived to one degree or another to be a methodology ( Aristotle , F. Bacon , R. Descartes , I. Kant , B. Russell , etc.). The theme of his first dissertation was the specifics of the modeling method in scientific knowledge.

The basis of training courses and scientific research of V. E. Nikiforov is three fundamental ideas.

First, the “critical rationalism” of the greatest philosopher and methodologist of the twentieth century, Karl Popper , who considered: a hunch, a trial idea that defies logisation.

Secondly, Nikiforov shows: before solving a problem, it must be recognized. The scientist calls this new subject area problemology: this term he refers to the theoretical foundations and methodology for analyzing problem situations and correctly setting problems (State Registration Certificate No. 01.86.00573426).

Thirdly, V. Popper’s predecessor, the “logical atomist” B. Russell , the postcritical rationalists I. Lakatos and L. Laudan, as well as the Russian logicians A. A. Zinoviev , A. I. influenced the thinking of V. E. Nikiforov . Uemov and V.F. Berkov and philosophers of science V.N. Karpovich, V.S. Styopin , V.N. Sadovsky , L.V. Yatsenko. Valery Evgenievich at the same time pays attention to both a clear formulation of the problem under discussion and various methods for solving it. A critical discussion forms for him the core of any scientific research, and in this sense, the true method of science is the method of trial and error ^[2] .

One of the first Nikiforov began to interpret training as management, focusing on the feedback information between the teacher and the student. He added to the traditional interpretation of “knowledge - skills - skills” the highest level of mastery of information: “professional activity programs”. This helped him to create numerous methodological developments not only for students, but also for specialists who improve their skills.

When creating BRI, Nikiforov introduced a module of general education into the curriculum of all specialties. The obligatory consistent study of logic, rhetoric, general and social psychology, sociology, philosophy and political science helps students to build relationships with their environment, to be evidence-based and convincing, to form a broad outlook, which is critical in our time, when people repeatedly change their occupation, therefore career success determined not so much by narrow professional knowledge as skills.

With the filing of V.E. Nikiforov, one of the first BRIs in Latvia began to apply a system of minimum information and methodological support for academic disciplines , including wording of the goal and objectives of the course, a program, a glossary, the main provisions of the course, presentations, exam assignments, recommended basic and additional educational literature . This ensures the continuity of teaching and the improvement of educational material.

V. E. Nikiforov developed the “System for ensuring and monitoring the quality of training of specialists at the Baltic International Academy”, aimed at developing the integrated competence of university graduates in six parameters: professional, informational, communicative, socio-legal, methodological, ideological ^[2] .

Valery Evgenievich gives lectures at all stages of the educational process.

In the bachelor's program, he teaches logic, rhetoric and philosophy, undergraduates - problemology and methodology, including in applied aspects of managerial decision making, doctoral students - the methodology of scientific research and methods of behavioral sciences ^[2] .

V. E. Nikiforov is the author of about 200 scientific works and books. His research, the author of the Philosophical Encyclopedia Vyacheslav Kemerov ^[5] puts next to the works of such scientists as Karl Popper , Imre Lakatos , Lari Laudan , György Poia et al. Valery Evgenievich is recognized in the international scientific world and has publications in English, Polish and Latvian.

• The conceptual apparatus of problemology: basic concepts and procedures // Materials of the conference of young scientists. Riga: LSU, 1981.
• Problems of increasing the effectiveness of public speaking. Riga: Zinatne, 1982.
• On the status of problemology as a theory and methodology // Sat .: Methodological problems of modern science. Riga ‚1987.
• Methodology of problems: Basic concepts and procedures. "International Congress of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science." Abstract Vol. 4. M., 1987.
• Problem situation and problem: genesis, structure, functions. Riga: Zinatne, 1988; - 185 p. ISBN 5-7966-0100-8 .
• Problem situations and problems: modern methods of analysis and solutions. Riga, 1990 .-- 24 p.
• Discussion technique: analysis of a problem situation and problem statement. Riga ‚1990.
• Modern rhetoric: Methodological materials of the special course. Riga: Zinatne, 1990.
• Problem situation and problem: genesis, structure, functions. Riga, 2002.
• The theoretical foundations of higher education pedagogy. Riga: BRI, 2003.
• Logics. Textbook for high schools. Riga, BRI, 2004. ISBN10: 9984763986, ISBN13: 978998476398.
• Loģika: Lekciju kursa konspekts un kontroluzdevumi. Riga, 2006. (Latvian)
• Fundamentals of pedagogy. Riga, BMA, 2008. ISBN10: 998476379X, ISBN13: 9789984763798.
• Selected works of different years. Riga, JUMI, 2008 .-- 460 p. ISBN 978-9984-7637-4-3 .
• Realizacja postanowien systemu bolonskiego w szkolnictwie wuzszym Lotwy, Litwu i Estonii. Siedlce, 2011. (Polish)
• The Main Directions Of International Co-Operation In The Sphere Of Higher Education, 2012. (eng.)
• Analysis of problem situations and methods for solving problems. Ed. 2nd. Riga, 2014 .-- 126 p.
• Logic and rhetoric. Lecture course. Riga, 2015 .-- 153 p.

Son - Nikita Nikiforov (September 8, 1983), lawyer, doctor of political science (MGIMO), deputy 10 ^[6] , 11, 12 of the Sejm from the Social Democratic Party " Consent ", since 2017 - deputy of the Jurmala City Council.