The changing concept of enlightenment in Russia – An outline

Abstract

At the end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first century there is a widespread renewal of interest in the “Project Enlightenment” and its relevance for the present day. The subject has rarely been touched upon in Russia. However, the concept “enlightenment” can be found in Russian present-day public discourse. Here the different Russian traditions in the interpretation of enlightenment are taken up once more. The changes and modifications of the concept “enlightenment” in Russian intellectual history lead to an understanding of the discourse of enlightenment in contemporary Russia. First of all, I sketch the most significant stages in the history of the concept of enlightenment in Russia. Important in this context is an anti-enlightenment campaign initiated and supported by the Tsar and the Church which claimed the concept of enlightenment as its own. A continuation of this movement can be found in some areas of contemporary public discourse which are essentially controlled by representatives of the Church. On the other hand, one finds in the media popular presentations of up-to-date scientific research where the principles of modern rationality and their importance for a culture of humanity are excluded. I show also the place of Kant’s philosophy in this tradition and conclude with a thesis concerning the prospects of the “Project Enlightenment” in Russia today.