Ideas, Traditions and Higher Personalities: the Conception of History in Russian Philosophy. Article One: P. Chaadaev, A. Pushkin, A. Herzen, F. Dostoevsky

Abstract

The article proves that the idea of the historical development of mankind, which is expressed in the Philosophical Letters P.Ya. Chaadaev, became a universal model of understanding of history for all Russian religious philosophy. Accord­ing to Chaadayev, the meaning of history is the gradual refusal of people from selfish freedom, from personal independence, from adherence to material goals and in complete submission to the divine power acting in the world and leading people to connect with each other and with spiritual reality. The result of this process should be the emergence of a perfect humanity. The subjects of history directing its course are the few “higher personalities”; they generate great ideas that turn into traditions and thereby become powerful forces of influence on peo­ple. A.S. Pushkin shared Chaadayev’s view that history is determined by a few “higher personalities” who have a mystical connection with God, with a higher reality. The importance of cultural traditions in history was emphasized by A.I. Herzen, however he believed that Europe had ceased to follow its traditions and this leads to its death. F.M. Dostoevsky after Herzen argued that Europe had renounced its destiny to be the cultural center of mankind, now Russia should become such a center and lead humanity along the path of cultural creativity and spiritual unity. Dostoevsky also saw the historical development of mankind as the result of the activities of individual “higher personalities”, whose instruments are “higher ideas”.