Ukhtomsky’s idea of chronotope as frame of anticipation

Abstract

A.A. Ukhtomsky formulated the idea of chronotope at the beginning of the 20th century. I learned about it from N.V. Golikov and I.A. Arshavsky, who were his direct students. The written materials of Ukhtomsky do not contain enough information about the chronotope concept. His references to the works of H. Minkowski and A. Einstein, as well as those of C. Sherrington are interesting for understanding the origin of this concept. That fact that M.M. Bakhtin received the concept of chronotope directly from Ukhtomsky is also important. Thus, chronotope fell within the scope of humanitarian knowledge. Additionally, there are similarities between Ukhtomsky’s idea of chronotope and von Uexküll’s concept of Umwelt. The chronotope concept is important for understanding the mechanisms of anticipation in so far as the subject of anticipation can exist only if its existence is possible in chronotope. Thus, chronotope can be seen as a frame of anticipation.