“Pavlovian” session: a new reading

Abstract

An attempt was made to take a fresh look at a significant event for Soviet science that happened more than 70 years ago – the Joint scientific session of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, dedicated to the problems of the physiological doctrine of academician I.P. Pavlov (June 28 – July 4, 1950). The memoirs of contemporaries of that memorable event were analyzed based on a new reading of the speeches of the participants, published in the verbatim record of the scientific session. For the first time, authors examined the report of the physiologist M.M. Koltsova, who was considered one of those who wanted and offered to “close” psychology. Also, for the first time in historiography of the “Pavlovian” session, authors analyzed the unfulfilled (but published in the verbatim record) speech of the employee of the Institute of philosophy of the USSR Academy of Sciences S.A. Petrushevsky, in which he highlighted the state of contemporary psychology in the USSR and outlined the prospects for its development. As a significant result of the analysis of the materials reflected in the verbatim record authors considered the fact that in the texts of the speeches and in the resolution of the session there was not found an extremely (sharply) negative mention of psychology and psychologists, therefore, the opinion of some authors about the existing decision to “close” psychology, expressed in the session, has not yet been confirmed. Some consequences of this scientific event were considered: the teaching of I.P. Pavlov began to spread directively; after the death of I.V. Stalin the interest in Pavlov's works declined; there were words about the urgent need to create a special psychological institution in the system of the USSR Academy of Sciences. It is shown that the session caused a high activity of psychologists, which led to the strengthening of its methodological positions and scientific-organizational structures.