Philosophical Work Research Articles

Lightning and thunder explanations in encyclopedias – from ancient Greece to Wikipedia

Abstract. After a brief introduction to encyclopedias, the explanation of lightning and thunder in well-known encyclopedias, from the works of Greek philosophers to encyclopedias of modern physics, is examined. Starting with Aristotle (who is not regarded as an encyclopedist but is very important for our topic), 10 out of more than 200 known encyclopedias are treated in some detail. This selection is certainly somewhat arbitrary, but it an attempt was made to choose encyclopedias which are highlights and which were widely circulated at their time. In antiquity and during the Middle Ages, the explanations of thunderstorms were generally quite different from the modern view, explaining, for instance, lightning as a consequence of thunder. Besides this, strange effects of lightning were often reported. Many authors of those times used the explanations of former encyclopedias, sometimes referring to earlier authors, often just plagiarizing. These ideas, unorthodox by our present understanding, persisted for almost 2 millennia in encyclopedias. From the middle of the 18th century onward, physical explanations began to emerge; these are still valid today. More and more correct details regarding lightning and thunder and the results of experiments have been reported in encyclopedias. It is also attempted in this paper to name the insights of other scientists which the authors of contemporary encyclopedias do not mention but which should have been available at the time. Finally, it is stated that, even today, several details regarding thunderstorms are not well understood.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF FREEDOM AND ITS LIMITS: UKRAINIAN EXPERIENCE OF DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of this research is a philosophical reflection on the category of freedom in the context of Ukraine’s democratic development, with a focus on its limits in light of current political and social challenges, particularly war and crises. The study analyzes the historical stages of the concept of freedom in Ukraine, the legal and ethical constraints placed on it, and the existential dimension of responsibility tied to individual choice. The research methods include critical analysis of philosophical and political works, synthesis of approaches from different philosophical schools (particularly liberalism and existentialism), comparative analysis of freedom and responsibility concepts, and systematic analysis of the legal and ethical challenges facing modern Ukrainian society. The results of the study reveal that the concept of freedom in Ukraine has specific historical features, related to the ongoing struggle for national independence, and dynamically changes under the influence of external threats and internal political processes. It is determined that the limits of freedom are shaped not only by legal norms but also by ethical and societal factors that actively shape Ukrainian public discourse. Special attention is given to the existential dimension of freedom as responsibility, which manifests in complex moral choices in the context of war. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the combination of historical, legal, and existentialist approaches to understanding freedom in the context of Ukrainian democratic development, providing deeper insights into the relationship between freedom and responsibility during periods of social crises. The theoretical significance of the work lies in expanding the philosophical understanding of the category of freedom within the Ukrainian context, its interaction with legal and ethical norms, which is essential for further research in political philosophy and law.

An Introduction to Acting “Together with Others” and Participation as the Basis for Community in the Thought of Karol Wojtyla

Karol Wojtyła’s conception of community is an often overlooked part of his vast body of writing. While much energy is dedicated to his ethics and theology, little attention is given to how he defined the way in which human persons interact with one another and build the communities and societies wherein they find themselves. Central to this definition of community are the concepts of “acting ‘together with others’” and “participation.” For Wojtyła, these two intimately personal and subjective aspects of the human person serve as both the basis and mode from which authentic human communities emerge. This work presents an introduction to Wojtyła’s basis for community through analyzing “acting ‘together with others’” and “participation,” thus placing the primary impetus for inter-personal action strictly within the tradition of metaphysical anthropology and personalism which Wojtyła himself embraced. In doing so, an overview of Wojtyła’s thought is presented that is based on his most influential philosophical works concerning community, particularly Person and Act and The Person: Subject and Community, with this serving as a realistic philosophical background for subsequent analysis of both the human person and communities generally.

Debunking Choice and Control in Active Support: A Qualitative Analysis of Encounters in Training Videos between Staff and People with Intellectual Disability

The online learning resource ‘Every Moment has Potential’ (2015) aimed to teach direct support professionals about the values underlying active support, especially choice and control. This is unsurprising: these values anchor disability rights activism and policies. However, accompanying videos meant to illustrate choice and control offer a more nuanced story. My qualitative analysis brings in Lori Marso’s concept of freedom in the encounter to theorize four kinds of encounters in active support relationships: encounters that treat people as people; encounters that encourage surprise and spontaneity; encounters of mutual and safe touch; and challenging encounters. I aim to question critically the explicit values alongside the practices of active support. Plus, by using online YouTube videos as analysis, I hope to encourage more creative ways to include people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities in academic work, especially theoretical and philosophical work about intellectual disability.

The event-property view of sounds

ABSTRACT Philosophical tradition holds that sounds, like colors, are sensible properties. Recently, however, there is a growing consensus in favor of the view that sounds are particulars, not properties. This article bucks the trend: it argues for the Event-Property View of Sounds – a widely overlooked and intuitively plausible version of the traditional view that not only avoids the difficulties that have led philosophers to opt for particularist alternatives, but does justice to the best insights of recent philosophical and empirical work on audition. In other words, it saves the truth in tradition by transforming it in light of new insight.

Холистическая антропология А.Л. Чижевского в контексте научного и религиозного мировоззрения

The article is devoted to the holistic views of A.L. Chizhevsky on human; fea­tures of their reflection in the philosophical and scientific works of the thinker, as well as in his poetry, are revealed; scientific and religious aspects of the scien­tist’s holistic anthropology are investigated. Analysis of the holistic world­view presented in the metaphysical work “The main beginning of the universe. Cosmic system. Problems”, allows us to state that the holistic approach to the human by Chizhevsky the philosopher is based on his conviction in the impact of the uni­versal principle of circulation on a single electric substrate. A study of the scien­tific works of one of the founders of space natural science suggests that the holistic anthropology reflected in them is based on specific laws that demonstrate human dependence on the environment (solar activity and ionized air). The Chizhevsky-poet forms the reader’s idea of the closest connection between micro- and macrocosm, about the cosmicity of a human being by using vivid images, with­out references to determinism; nevertheless, the anthropocosmic poems of “Leo­nardo da Vinci of the 20th century” are thematically related to his scientific re­search. The relevance of A.L. Chizhevsky’s holistic anthropology to the concept of global evolutionism and the post-classical type of scientific rationality is shown

The Multiple Aspects of the Given—Ontological Remarks on Ernst Mach’s Empiricism

Philosophers often rely on sciences of their own time. This is especially true for scientists writing philosophical works. In the case of Ernst Mach, the scientific references are mainly to physics, physiology, evolutionary biology and—in a somewhat different manner—the new discipline of psychology. Like so many authors in the late 19th century, Mach had extreme confidence in the methods of the natural sciences. However, this trait, often called scientism or positivism, can easily be used in polemical accounts that obscure other aspects of Mach’s thought. Mach is well-known for both his analysis of sensations and his evolutionary conception of perception and knowledge. The tension between the ambition to clarify the empirical basis of perception on the one hand and the focus on the natural origins of human perception on the other hand is, however, considerable. A comparison of these two perspectives can contribute to an ontological understanding of experience that sheds new light on the much-discussed topic of sense data and at the same time clarifies the difference between experience and observation and the role of experimental science in this context. In some respects, Mach seems closer to William James than to his followers in the Vienna circle. The accusation of idealism made by Lenin in his influential critique of positivism overlooks the implications of this naturalist approach but offers the occasion to dwell on the ontological implications of something that can be called natural historicity. Comparisons with Aristotle, Bacon, Descartes and Kant situate the empiricist theory of perception.

Freedom and Bondage: An Interpretation of the Concept of Freedom in Middlemarch

George Eliot, a renowned female writer and philosopher of the Victorian era, significantly embodied her philosophical ideas within her novels. The characters in Middlemarch relentlessly pursue freedom amidst the constraints of human nature, legal frameworks, and personal desires. This paper posits a remarkable resonance between George Eliot’s concept of freedom in Middlemarch and Baruch de Spinoza’s interpretation of freedom in his philosophical work, Ethica. However, Eliot’s creation of Middlemarch was not intended to serve as a vehicle for Spinoza’s view of freedom. Spinoza’s concept of freedom provided solid theoretical support for Eliot’s literary creation, and based on this, Eliot deepened the concept of freedom within Middlemarch, demonstrating her profound understanding and development of Spinoza’s ideas. Furthermore, this paper also reveals the complex societal issues and sharp human contradictions highlighted in the characters’ pursuits of freedom in Middlemarch. By analyzing Eliot’s thoughts on freedom and examining the influence of Spinoza’s view of freedom on her creation, this paper aims to open up a new path to help readers gain a more comprehensive grasp of Eliot’s philosophical ideas and the implications embedded within her literary oeuvre.

Freedom and Bondage: An Interpretation of the Concept of Freedom in Middlemarch

George Eliot, a renowned female writer and philosopher of the Victorian era, significantly embodied her philosophical ideas within her novels. The characters in Middlemarch relentlessly pursue freedom amidst the constraints of human nature, legal frameworks, and personal desires. This paper posits a remarkable resonance between George Eliot’s concept of freedom in Middlemarch and Baruch de Spinoza’s interpretation of freedom in his philosophical work, Ethica. However, Eliot’s creation of Middlemarch was not intended to serve as a vehicle for Spinoza’s view of freedom. Spinoza’s concept of freedom provided solid theoretical support for Eliot’s literary creation, and based on this, Eliot deepened the concept of freedom within Middlemarch, demonstrating her profound understanding and development of Spinoza’s ideas. Furthermore, this paper also reveals the complex societal issues and sharp human contradictions highlighted in the characters’ pursuits of freedom in Middlemarch. By analyzing Eliot’s thoughts on freedom and examining the influence of Spinoza’s view of freedom on her creation, this paper aims to open up a new path to help readers gain a more comprehensive grasp of Eliot’s philosophical ideas and the implications embedded within her literary oeuvre.

Ten in One: The Case of Stanza 13 in Samantabhadra’s Sixth Century Āptamīmāṃsā

AbstractThe title refers to an unusual instance of ten occurrences of one stanza in a single philosophical work. The stanza in question highlighted here is the outcome of a previous study on the faults (doṣas) levelled against the non-one-sided position of the Jainas, the theory of manifoldness that aims at avoiding any absolutistic standpoint or perspective concerning an object of investigation (anekāntavāda). This article draws on a study published in 2007 on doṣas or faults levelled against the Jainas. One aspect of the debate on it is dealt with here in a bit more detail: the ten occurrences of the identical stanza in Samantabhadra’s 6th century Āptamīmāṃsā (ĀM). Vidyānandin’s tenth century Aṣṭasahasrī-commentary to Āptamīmāṃsā 71 and 72 mentions a list of seven faults (doṣas) which, he says, do not apply to the Jaina anekāntavāda, with ĀM 70 thematically belonging to these two stanzas.The unique feature of ĀM 70 (which thematically belongs to ĀM 71 and 72 dealt with in the 2007 paper) in the context of Vidyānandin’s commentary is specifically dealt with here, because ĀM 70 is identical with ĀM 13, which is repeated ten times in all in Samantabhadra’s seminal work divided into ten chapters or sections (paricchedas) in the form now published. The paper will deal with some aspects of the repetitions of ĀM 70, the first occurrence being ĀM 13.

Christian personalism and “carnal race” in the philosophy of H. S. Skovoroda

The purpose of the article is to analyze H. Skovoroda’s criticism of mass society, called the “carnal race”, based on the position of Christian personalism, which the Ukrainian philosopher adhered to. Its implementation will allow us to expand our view of H. Skovoroda’s personology, taking into account the ascetic component and critical orientation of the content of his creative heritage. The main methodological tool for the stage of the mentioned problem includes a philosophical-anthropological, axiological and philosophical-religious analysis of H. Skovoroda’s texts in their dialectical unity and interaction. The result of the research presented in the article. The undertaken analysis of the teachings of H. Skovoroda revealed his critical attitude towards mass society, the environment of which is the “carnal man” as an anthropological type. An alternative to the named society has been identified, which is contrasted with the Kingdom of God as a community of spiritually renewed people. It is shown that condemnation and the desire to oust the community of “slaves of the flesh” is complemented by the desire for its spiritual transformation towards unity with God in the inner world of the individual — the heart. The view of the philosophy of the heart as an essential feature of personalistic thought is substantiated, and the achievement of identity with God and Christ in the spiritual space of the heart organically correlates personalism with Christian thought. The condemnation of the “carnal race” together with the “carnal man” in the horizon of Christian thought is recognized as one of the aspects of the personalization of man and society, a concern aimed at their spiritual transformation. The scientific novelty. The interpretation of Christian personalism as the foundation of H. Skovoroda’s philosophy has been expanded and deepened due to its correlation with the ascetic criticism of mass society. This circumstance allows us to pay serious attention to the role of criticism in constituting the Christian-personalistic foundation of the work of the Ukrainian philosopher. To develop an understanding of Christian thought, the organic connection between its personalistic and ascetic values is demonstrated, which makes it possible to evaluate their unity and interconnection in their focus on the spiritual development of man and society. The practical significance. The results of this study can be used in the educational process for teaching general and special courses on the history of philosophy, the history of Ukrainian culture, and Christian ethics.

Původ dělení věcí na hmotné a nehmotné

The article concerns the origins of the well-known classification of corporeal and incorporeal things in Roman law, which follows from the development visible in the legal sources from Institutes of Gaius to the codification of the emperor Justinian. The wide range of non-legal sources dealing with the classification, mostly the philosophical works, from authors as Cicero, Seneca, Gellius, or Lactantius, is taken also into account. Two types of the classification based on the corporeality of things arise from all the analyzed texts. The first one uses the terms corporeal and incorporeal thing, but the legal sources, except the Institutes of Gaius and apart the non-legal ones, almost avoid it. The second one divides things with corpus and the ones consisting of rights and it is represented in the text of Ulpianus or Hermogenianus as well as in several post-classical legal sources. Nevertheless, the codification of the emperor Justinian adopts the formulation according to Gaius, whose proximity to the philosophy categories can be observed so the classification of the corporeal and incorporeal things.

From Chinese to Global Humanism: Articulations and Decolonial Critiques of New Confucian Philosophy in Cold War Taiwan and Hong Kong

In scholarly discussions of Cold War humanism, writings by New Confucian philosophers who exiled themselves from China after 1949 have been largely overlooked due to assumptions about their anti-Communist position. This essay proposes to re-examine New Confucian writings on humanism in Taiwan and Hong Kong from the 1950s to the 1970s as a way to better understand the complexity of these two places in relation to humanistic genres of decolonization: while the New Confucian conception of Chinese humanism intervenes in the hegemony of Western humanism, it also represses other humanistic imaginations that do not derive from Han cultural nationalism. The first part of the essay closely analyses the connection between the French debates on humanism and several philosophical works of Mou Zongsan 牟宗三 (1909–1995) in Taiwan and Tang Chun-I 唐君毅 (1909–1978) in Hong Kong. Following a brief overview of their exilic context, it looks into Mou’s rejection of Sartre’s existentialist humanism in defence of Chinese subjective freedom, as well as Tang’s conception and ideological development of the “Chinese humanistic spirit” in opposition to “anti-humanism” (different from Althusser). The second part turns to repressed humanisms – the positive reception of existentialist humanism among liberal and nativist intellectuals in Taiwan and the search for Hong Kongers’ cultural identity between anti-humanism and Chinese humanism in Hong Kong, which complicates colonial and anti-colonial humanisms under European imperialism. Via a comparison with Sartre, Fanon, and the conception of a new/decolonial humanism, the essay concludes that a different shift from Chinese to global humanism is necessary for finding new approaches to decolonization in Taiwan and Hong Kong from the Cold War era to the present moment.

From the history of the lexeme ticket in Russian: from a word to a precedent phenomenon (on the material of F. M. Dostoevsky’s works)

This article considers the lexeme ticket as a representative example of those words that outlasted the golden age of semantic and cultural-historical evolution in the Russian language. We analyse possible extralinguistic and intralinguistic reasons for extending the lexical combinability and semantic spectrum of the lexeme ticket in the second half of the 19th century. These causes determined the gradual increase in the mental significance of the word, as well as the origins of its loss of conceptual significance in the period after 1917. The fact that the word ticket could have the status of a concept in the Russian language of the second half of the 19th century can be proved based on F. M. Dostoevsky’s texts. His works not only show the ample lexical combinability of the analysed lexeme, but also provide examples of its metaphorical use. The research employed the historical, descriptive, and comparative methods in conjunction with semantic and componential analysis. The paper concludes that the number of meanings and meaning shades of the word ticket increased considerably in the second half of the 19th century. Thus, its lexical combinability extended, and the lexeme reached the semantic evolution peak. As a result, any piece of paper with any text was actually called a ticket. The general linguistic significance of the word gradually developed into a conceptual one, which was reflected in F. M. Dostoevsky’s writings. His texts contain the best examples of the philosophical and metaphorical use of the lexeme. For instance, the image of a ticket returned to God in the novel "The Brothers Karamazov" became a precedent phenomenon in the works of Russian philosophers and writers.

Physical influx theory: the case of Émilie Du Châtelet

ABSTRACT In this paper, I analyse Émilie Du Châtelet’s (1706–49) account of causation which, in turn, is crucial for understanding her philosophical main work, the Institutions de physique (1740/1742). So far, the topic of causation in Du Châtelet’s thought has received but little attention despite its importance. I will show that Du Châtelet’s account of physical causation is that of physical influx much in line with the position taken by some of the most prominent eighteenth-century German metaphysicians at the time of the publication of her Institutions: Martin Knutzen (1713–49), Johann Peter Reusch (1691–1758) and the pre-Critical Immanuel Kant (1724–1804). I will argue that physical influx takes place at the level of simple substances or physical monads, and I will defend my interpretation against the main objection to physical influx: that it conflicts with Leibniz’s non-transfer argument. The ultimate metaphysical details regarding how physical influx has to be understood remain an issue, that of understanding the causality of the cause. This, however, is an issue that other causal theories face, too (in their own way).

Historical and cultural dimensions of the philosophy of the future: globalisation and identity

The purpose of the research is to highlight the prospects for the influence of philosophy in the context of the socio-cultural dichotomy associated with the confrontation between the principles of globalisation and identity. The turn of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries was marked by a focus on the synergistic potential in the worldview paradigm, which corresponded to the meanings of global character. At the same time, the dialectical component of society's development has retained its influence, expressing the desire of a person or community to preserve identity. The purpose of the article is to identify the specifics of philosophical thought within the two dominant dimensions of socio-cultural progress - interaction and confrontation. Achieving a balance between these two tendencies is the key to harmonising the world picture and avoiding destructive manifestations of a socio-cultural nature. The methodological basis of the study is focused on the analysis of philosophical ideas on the historical and cultural status of man, society and civilisation. The analysis of scientific and philosophical works was carried out within the framework of a variation sample, which allowed to use both philosophical and dialectical, as well as synergistic methodological potential. The results of the study point to the levelling of the positions of the philosophical interpretation of globalisation and identity in the socio-cultural discourse. The analysis of 50 philosophical works published over the past five years has demonstrated approximately equal indicators in the cultural and historical characteristics of social activity. This indicates that the worldview paradigm of our time is at the stage of choosing a strategy for civilisational development, considering the two most popular ways of development: globalisation and identity. The research perspectives are focused on the role of philosophical interpretation of the prospects for socio-cultural development. Strategic thinking is an advantage of the philosophical potential in terms of forming a strategy for civilisational progress. Conclusion. Contemporary philosophical discourse is at the stage of determining the dominant strategy for the development of a person, community and humanity. Globalisation and identity reflect the principles of two fundamental worldviews - dialectics and synergy. The role of philosophy involves a thorough description of these two socio-cultural dimensions in order to determine a favourable scenario for the development of society.

Heidegger’s Fundamental Ontology and Feminist Philosophy: Issues of Sexual Difference and Neutralization

ABSTRACT This study reviews the controversy surrounding Dasein’s neutrality in Heidegger’s fundamental ontology. First, I reiterate the problem and examine Derrida’s assertion that the early Heidegger ignored sexual difference as well as how feminist philosophers accepted the case after that. Next, I analyse whether the neutrality of Dasein is justified at the essential and factual levels. I discuss whether (1) phenomenological neutralization is a male-biased outlook and (2) Heidegger’s thoughts according to such method were successful in neutralizing it. With regard to (1), neutralization is not inherently androcentric. To address (2), I first argue that Heidegger’s philosophical project at the time was fundamental ontology, but he completed the task with the development of existential philosophical ideas in terms of the existential analytic. Finally, I demonstrate that the criticism of Heidegger’s covert generalization of masculinity, while almost unfair to fundamental ontological work, makes limited sense to existential philosophical work.

«ИЗ-ЗА РОССИИ МЫ ЧАСТО НЕ ВИДИМ РУСИ…»: РОССИЯ И РУССКОЕ НАЦИОНАЛЬНОЕ СОЗНАНИЕ В РЕЛИГИОЗНО-ФИЛОСОФСКОМ ТВОРЧЕСТВЕ С.Н. ДУРЫЛИНА

В статье реконструируются представления писателя, философа, богослова, искусствоведа С.Н. Дурылина (1886–1954) о России и специфике русского национального сознания. На основании его художественных, публицистических и религиозно-философских работ делается вывод о том, что для Дурылина характерно глубоко православное мировосприятие – символичное, образное, интуитивное, не отрицающее роль разума в познании, но утверждающее его принципиального ограниченные возможности в постижении мира. Специфическими чертами русского национального сознания, которые, по его мнению, определяют отношение русского человека к государству, истории и смыслу бытия России являются апокалиптичность, пасхальность, особое внимание к отдельному человеку, важность индивидуального при осознании неразрывности соборной связи с целым, восприятие всего в мире как живого, в том числе – народа, Церкви, России, первостепенное значение внутреннего над внешним, постоянная устремленность к горнему идеалу, смирение и мудрость в принятии несовершенного земного мира, «тишина» – как идеал христианского общежития. Можно сказать, что Дурылину свойственен консервативный взгляд на мир в том смысле, что на первый план выходит важность истории, традиции, культуры, веры, сохранения своего особенного, а значит истинного в жизни общества и государства. The article attempts to reconstruct the social and political ideas of Sergei Durylin, a Russian writer, philosopher and art historian (1886-1954), and explores his views on the essence of Russia and the Russian national consciousness. On the basis on Durylin's artistic, journalistic, and religious-philosophical writings the authors conclude that his worldview is deeply rooted in Orthodoxy and can be described as symbolic, figurative, intuitive one and based on a belief in the limited role of reason in understanding the world. According to Durylin, Russian national consciousness is determined by apocalypticism, paschalism, a special attention to the individual, and importance of the individual in realizing the indivisible connection with the whole. It also includes a perception of everything in the world as alive, including people, the Church, and Russia itself. The article highlights the primary importance of the internal over the external in the ideas of Durylin, its constant aspiration to the high ideal, humility and wisdom in accepting the imperfect earthly world, and ‘silence’ as the ideal of Christian community life. Durylin's worldview is a conservative one that emphasizes history, tradition, religion, preserving a unique (and therefore the true) identity within society and the state.

William James on unification.

The major focus of this work is on William James's insistence that unification should not be explored in the abstract as if it were one thing. Rather, unity should be understood in terms of its major kinds. There are unities and pluralities with respect to such topics as values, methods, causes, and prescriptions about what to read and study. This article explores James's mature position on unification as set forth in his major psychological and philosophical works and letters. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Разговоры на письме: эпистолярный архив Н.А. Бердяева

The essay examines the book published in 2023 “Nikolai Berdyaev: An Epistolary Conversation. Archival Materials”, containing bilateral correspondence between N.A. Berdyaev and S.L. Frank, as well as letters to Berdyaev from N.O. Lossky and Yu.M. Panebrattsev. This book covers the chronological period from 1922 to 1948, during which Berdyaev was living in exile. The main focus of the book is the correspondence between Berdyaev and Frank, which covers a wide range of topics, including the fate of Russian philosophical research abroad, educational and publishing institutions in Germany and France, as well as the daily challenges faced by Berdyaev during the 1920s and 1940s. A significant portion of the correspondence also discusses the ideas behind Berdyaev’s philosophical works, the process of preparing and publishing them, and the history of “Way” journal (1925–1940). Lossky’s letters (unfortunately, Berdyaev’s reply letters have not yet been found) are more formal and distant, but they also reflect the long-term collaboration between the philosophers, their attention to each other’s work, and their perception of the intellectual life in Soviet Russia as continuing in many ways, both in relation to the past and in connection with emigration. Of particular interest are the letters written by Yu.M. Panebrattsev (1900–1937) from Soviet Russia to Paris between 1930 and 1931, expressing the intense philosophical quest of a relatively young man seeking advice and guidance from Berdyaev. Panebrattsev’s letters provide an interesting insight into how, at the very beginning of the 1930s, he synthesized the trends of Russian idealistic philosophy from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while also appealing to the great philosophical traditions of Europe, consciously avoiding the influence of official philosophy. The reviewed publication makes a valuable contribution not only to the study of Berdyaev’s life and works, but also to the history of the Russian emigration of the first wave