The article analyzes reading as a sociocultural phenomenon in terms of the philosophy of culture. The purpose of the study is the identification of reading functions in contemporary culture. Research concept is defined by reading comprehension as a multifunctional phenomenon. In the course of reading genesis research it is revealed that reading performs informational and communicative, socializing, worldview, culture saving, ideological, axiological, aesthetic, expressive, ritually applying, semiotic, educational, and suggestive functions. It is proved that among the functions carried out by reading in the life of an individual (company) informational-communicative function is a leading one. The role of reading in today's culture is not only in the storage and transmission of specific information with the help of specific symbolic means, but also in the creation of etiquette regulations, moral guidelines of culture and shaping real, practically useful strategies for successful behavior. In the course of studying the nature of reading, the view on reading as a kind of topical unfolding dialogue of semantic structures of the author with the reader's semantic structures representing a certain experience of understanding the author's thoughts, and leading to the generation of reader's senses is formed. It has been shown that reading serves as a basic skill which is necessary for human life in the sociocultural environment.