RUDN Journal of Philosophy (Dec 2018)
Russia as a particular form of the universality of the christian world: for the problem of the dialectics of interaction of russian and european spirit
Abstract
The main contents of the article are an analysis of the speculative (Hegelian) dialectic of the relations of the European world and Russia interpreted as the universal and specific moments of the Christian idea. Taking as a basis the dialectic of history, the authors claim that in its movement to the concrete universality of the Christian idea the “European humanity” (Husserl) discovers within itself its own negativity, its Other (Russia). Through this Other the European spirit mediates itself, sublates the moment of abstract universality of the rationalism of the understanding which is characteristic of the time of Enlightenment (“modernity”, “industrialism”) and enters the “posthistorical” epoch of concrete universality of the global Christianity postindustrial civilization. This Other of the spiritual Europe (or the West as a whole) is Russia whose historical destiny was connected with the acceptance of Eastern European mentality (Russia as a “post-Byzantine” component of the united European Christian humanity) and its grandiose culture. While grasping European spirit, Russia found itself in a constant military-political and ideological “struggle against the West”, starting with the clash with the 13th century Teutonic knights or the 17th century Polish interveners and finishing with the “Cold War” and contemporary Ukraine crisis. The authors claim that the above said dialectical controversy between Europe and Russia has achieved its final tension and has come close to its spiritual overcoming (sublation, reconciliation, negation of negation) out it itself. The result of this process shall be a really universal Europe within whose frames Russia will be able to acquire its “positively reasonable” status.
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