Abstract

The article proposes a philosophical concept of "xenology" (the science of alien) as a way of knowing oneself through the knowledge of the cultures of the "stranger", as a way of forming one's own identity. The author formulates four parts of the xenological paradigm. First, we can realize our Self only through the "other" and "alien". Secondly, civilizational, cultural and national identity is actualized when confronted or in conflict with a "stranger". Thirdly, our "I-image" is already embedded in the very model of the "alien". Fourthly, the image of a "stranger" in a particular culture can serve as an important indicator of its level of development, as well as a tool not only for self-affirmation, but also for self-understanding, self-esteem, self-criticism, as well as an incentive for self-improvement. As an illustration of these principles, the article offers an explanation of the concepts of the "friend–stranger –other" paradigm in theory using the example of relations between modern people, as well as inside the stories of the Kazakh writer Umit Tazhikenova. In the conclusion of the article, the author also identifies the hidden class of "alien" heroes among the conditional "their own".