Comments on S.G.Semenova's introductory article "Russian Cosmism" (changing the optics of comprehension)

Abstract

The article discusses two main topics: Russian cosmism and the attitude towards it of Svetlana Semenova, who wrote the introductory article to the book "Russian Cosmism". Interesting considerations are given regarding the Russian cosmism of the philosopher A.P. Ogurtsov. The author problematizes the statements of Semenova, who distances herself from the views of cosmists and shares these views. He sees a similar ambivalent attitude in the polemic of I. Kant with the great scientist and esotericist of the XVIII century Emanuel Swedenborg. An analysis of the esoteric Christian teaching and the personality of the latter shows that Swedenborg simultaneously accepted two realities of spirit and nature, removing contradictions, bringing them into line with each other; at the same time, his psyche changed under the influence of work confirming the new picture of the world he had built. The author suggests that, like Swedenborg, cosmists and Semenova built a reality in which their dreams, intentions and actions received a place and meaning. He believes that in order to properly understand this type of creativity, a turn is needed to the problems and aspirations of the individual, to the built reality in which these problems are resolved (albeit in virtual terms for now), to the historical tradition of thinking. In his opinion, cosmists, Semenova and some modern ideologists like A. Dugin or Yu. Gromyko continue to move in line with the Russian tradition, outlined by Chaadaev, Dostoevsky and Russian religious philosophers. Another tradition characteristic of the creativity of these thinkers is esoteric, which allows you to create realities, omitting the problems of realization, following one ‒ constructing the world for your own personality.