The dialectic of freedom in Nikolai Berdjaev

Abstract

Together with God, Spirit, the subject, and the person freedom, is a central theme in the thought of Nikolai Aleksandrovic Berdjaev (1874?1948). His philosophy, which can be called Christian-personalist or Christian-existentialist (both characterizations apply), turns continu ally around the problem of freedom, which according to him constitutes the deepest basis of being and belongs to the very core of God and man. Berdjaev contributed in a profound and original way to this problem. The preliminary requirement for a serious study of Berdjaev is to be faithful to the specificity of his style of thinking rather than pointing out in a pedantic, schoolmarmish way all the contradictions, vagaries, etc. pervading it. Berdjaev considered himself as an "existentialist" thinker who spurns the systematic, discursive, and analytical method, since these cognitive tools fail to disclose the subjective reality of freedom and the person. Their implementation would mean an "objectification," which, in terms of his interpretation of Christianity, came into the world together with original sin. Objectification is "servitude" and "decay." For that reason Berdjaev believes that the secret of the spiritual, which in his view is the sole concrete and hence authentic reality, comes to expression, however approximately, rather in symbols and myths, and that it is profoundly unphilosophical to overestimate science and logic. The Russian philosopher had a highly developed sense of the para doxes besetting discursive thought as soon as it confronted the mystery of authentic existence. To be sure, this style of thought also has its weaker moments some of which Berdjaev acknowledged,1 and can induce confusion; but it is more suited to his general problem perspec tive than rationalism.