The fate of philosophy in Russia as reflected in the works of Kazan University philosophers

Abstract

In this article, Kazan University philosophy, its characteristics and development trends, are analyzed from the perspective of the history of philosophy in Russia. The equivalence of the concepts “history of philosophy in Russia” and “history of Russian philosophy” is questioned and explored using the examples from the “stories” and “essays” written by prominent Russian philosophers such as A.I. Vvedensky, M.N. Ershov, B.V. Yakovenko, N.O. Lossky, and V.V. Zenkovsky. It is shown that they are likely to be equivalent and interchangeable, with the concept “history of Russian philosophy” approached in a broader sense. However, some important distinctions are still observed. When considered in a narrow sense, “Russian philosophy” appears to have certain fundamental, specific characteristics that define it as a specific type throughout its history and determine its unity. The results obtained reveal that some scholars view certain philosophical trends that developed in Russia as foreign or alien to the “spirit of Russian philosophy.” The peculiarities of Russian philosophy are singled out and summarized, and the validity of attempts to obstruct some of its manifestations is discussed. The critical role of university philosophy in the overall history of Russian philosophy is emphasized: it fostered philosophical interest and paved the way for purely philosophical work. Within this framework, Kazan University philosophy is examined.

Keywords

• kazan university philosophy
• history of philosophy in russia
• russian philosophy
• history of russian philosophy
• national characteristics of philosophy
• university teaching of philosophy
• religious philosophy
• pure philosophy
• traditions of philosophical thinking