N.A. Berdyaev and I.A Ilyin’s anthropological concepts: intersection and rejection points

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of historiosophical anthropological views of N.A. Berdyaev and I.A. Ilyin during the crisis of historicism when Russian thinkers were among the first to hit upon the anthropological basis of historical knowledge. The results of the comparative analysis have showed that at a certain similarity in the biographies of philosophers N.A. Berdyaevs anthropology apotheosis is a bold breakthrough in the religious era of creativity, the era of the third anthropological revelation. I.A. Ilyin understood anthropology in a narrower way - he paid no attention to the beginnings and ends, his dream was to see transformed, free from communism Russia, which gained a national spirit, transformed into the country of true patriots and religious-minded people with a clear sense of justice of the liberal persuasion. There is an important difference between the thinkers: N.A. Berdyaevs Russian idea is the Messianic, I.A. Ilyins one is rather nationalist. In Berdyaevs opinion the meaning is to go beyond the Russianness in unity, without losing their nationality. I.A. Ilyin believed that the future of Russia is a national dictatorship, whereas N.A. Berdyaev believed in Christian personalistic socialism. I.A. Ilyin was for strong government that would lead the people to a brighter future, while N.A. Berdyaev appealed to an inner catharsis of people, to the Christian overcome of internal contradictions and flaws.