Alexander Spirkin. Fundamentals of Philosophy. Translated from the Russian by Sergei Syrovatkin. Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1990. The book offers a systematic exposition of the foundations of dialectical and historical materialism. It begins with deliberations on the nature of philosophical knowledge, the role of worldview, and the purpose of methodology. There is also a brief excursus into the history of philosophy. Relying on a wealth of theoretical and practical materials, the author gives an all-sided analysis of such fundamental concepts as being and consciousness, matter and motion, cognition and activity; step by step, he identifies the main principles, laws and categories of dialectics, and closely studies the socioeconomic, political and cultural aspects of society's life against the background of the global problems of modern times. The book shows conclusively that a consistent scientific philosophy did not develop as a mechanical accumulation of previously discovered grains of the truth but through their critical analysis and creative elaboration under the changing historical conditions. The book was awarded a prize at a competition of textbooks for students of higher educational establishments. A.G. Spirkin (1918-2004), Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, is a well-known Soviet philosopher and psychologist.