Irrationalistic dialectics by L. P. Karsavin
Abstract
The article deals with the irrationalistic dialectics by L. P. Karsavin, which he considered absolute. It is shown that Karsavin’s dialectics resulted from his attempt to overcome the theoretical flaws of the rationalistic dialectics by Hegel and Marx. Karsavin’s interpretation of the notion “development” is analyzed and its advantages and disadvantages are stressed. It is proved that the Russian thinker proposed a mythological rather than rationalistic justification. The similarities and difference between Karsavin’s and Hegel’s dialectic theories are shown. It is claimed that Karsavin’s approach to some extent contradicts the Hegelian one, but in no way either improves or transforms it. The author concludes that the irrationalistic dialectical theory appeared due to the fact that Karsavin emphasized unity rather than contradiction. He believed that dialectical contradiction should be regarded as an obstacle in the way of philosophical cognition and therefore it should be removed. According to the philosopher, it is unity that characterizes development and helps us differ it from the other forms of action, such as “change” or “progress”, which are based on the principle of discreteness and opposition. Karsavin’s interrelation of dialectical theory and the principle of unity is also analyzed. According to Karsavin, the legislative structure of dialectics is a transcendental-logical expression of the Law of God, and the process of development seen from the position of absolute unity appears as infinite, continuous and absolute.
References
Abdildin, Zh.M., Balgimbaev, A.S. (1978), Dialektika aktivnosti subyekta v nauchnom poznanii [The dialectic of the subject activity in scientific knowledge], Moscow, USSR.
Adorno, T. (2003), Negativnaya dialektika [Negative dialectics], Moscow, Russia.
Anchel, E. (1979), Mify potryasennogo soznaniya [The myths of a shocked consciousness], Moscow, USSR.
Asmus, V.F. (1929), Dialektika Kanta [Dialectics by Kant], Moscow, USSR.
Ateisty, materialisty, dialektiki drevnego Kitaya: Yan Chzhu, Letszy, Chzhuantszy (VI–IV vv. do n.e.) (1967), [Atheists, materialists, dialecticians of Ancient China: Yang Zhu, Leczi, Chuangze (6–4 centuries BC)], Moscow, USSR.
Berdyaev, N.A. (2002), Smysl istorii [The meaning of history], in Berdyaev, N.A. Smysl istorii. Novoe srednevekovye [The meaning of history. The new Middle Ages], Moscow, Russia, pp. 7–220.
Berdyaev, N.A. (1990), Sud'ba Rossii [The fate of Russia], Moscow, Russia.
Bogomolov, A.S. (1982), Dialekticheskiy logos: stanovlenie antichnoy dialektiki [Dialectical logos: the formation of ancient dialectics], Moscow, USSR.
Bulgakov, S.P. (1993), Osnovnye problemy teorii progressa [The main problems of the theory of progress], in Bulgakov, S.P. Sochineniya [Works], in 2 vol., vol. 2, Moscow, Russia, pp. 46–94.
Burova, I.N. (1976), Paradoksy teorii mnozhestv i dialektika [Paradoxes of set theory and dialectics], Moscow, USSR.
Verner, V., Khuda-Granat, M. (2012), Ideya vseedinstva L'va Platonovicha Kar¬sa-vi¬na mezhdu istoricheskim i sverkhistoricheskim myshleniem [The idea of all-unity of Lev Platonovich Karsavin between historical and suprahistorical thinking], in Isto¬riya i sovremennost' [History and modernity], no. 1, pp. 3–14.
Gurvich, Zh. (2001), Dialektika i sotsiologiya [Dialectics and sociology], Krasnodar, Russia.
Dzhokhadze, D.V., Dzhokhadze, N.I. (2005), Istoriya dialektiki: epokha antichnosti [The history of dialectics: the epoch of Antiquity], Moscow, Russia.
Dzhokhadze, D.V. (1971), Dialektika Aristotelya [Dialectics by Aristotle], Moscow, USSR.
Dialektika poznaniya slozhnykh system [The Dialectic of Knowledge of Complex Systems], Moscow, 1988, Russia.
Dialektika refleksivnoy deyatel'nosti i nauchnoe poznanie [Dialectics of reflective activity and scientific knowledge], (1983), Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
Idealisticheskaya dialektika v XX stoletii (Kritika mirovozzrencheskikh osnov nemarksistskoy dialektiki) [Idealistic dialectics in the 20th century (Criticism of the ideological foundations of non-Marxist dialectics)], (1987), Moscow, USSR.
Ilyenkov, E.V. Dialektika abstraktnogo i konkretnogo v nauchno-teoreticheskom myshlenii [Dialectics of the abstract and the concrete in scientific theoretical thinking], (1997), Moscow, Russia.
Istoriya antichnoy dialektiki [History of the Ancient dialectics], (1972), Moscow, USSR.
Istoriya dialektiki. Nemetskaya klassicheskaya filosofiya [History of dialectics. The classical German philosophy], (1978), Moscow, Russia.
Kanarskiy, A.S. (2008), Dialektika esteticheskogo protsessa [Dialectics of aesthetic process], Kiev, Ukraine.
Karsavin, L.P. (1994), Filosofiya istorii [Philosophy of history], St. Petersburg, Rus-sia.
Kopnin, P.V. (1973), Dialektika, logika, nauka [Dialectics, logic, science], Moscow, Rus¬sia.
Kierkegaard, S. (1993), Strakh i trepet. Dialekticheskaya lirika Iokhannesa de Silentsio [Kierkegaard S. Fear and trembling. Dialectic lyric by Johannes de Silentio], Moscow, Russia.
Linkov, E.S. (1973), Dialektika subyekta i obyekta v filosofii Shellinga [The dialectics of subject and object in Schelling’s philosophy], Leningrad, USSR.
Losev, A.F. (1994), Absolyutnaya dialektika – absolyutnaya mifologiya [Absolute dialectics – absolute mythology], in Losev, A.F. Mif – Chislo – Sushchnost' [Myth – number – essence], Moscow, Russia, pp. 263–298.
Losev, A.F. (1994), Dialektika mifa [The dialectics of myth], in Losev, A.F. Mif – Chislo – Sushchnost' [Myth – number – essence], Moscow, Russia, pp. 5–216.
Losev, A.F. (1994), Pervozdannaya sushchnost' [Primordial essence], in Losev, A.F. Mif – Chislo – Sushchnost' [Myth – number – essence], Moscow, Russia, pp. 233–262.
Lossky, N.O. (1991), Mir kak organicheskoe tseloe [The world as an organic whole], in Lossky, N.O. Izbrannoe [Selected works], Moscow, Russia, pp. 338–483.
Lukach, D. (2017), Istoriya i klassovoe soznanie. Khvostizm i dialektika. Tezisy Blyuma (fragmenty) [History and class consciousness. Being at the tail and dialectics. Theses by Blum (Fragments)], Moscow, Russia.
Mann, Yu.V. (1987), Dialektika khudozhestvennogo obraza [The dialectics of artistic image], Moscow, USSR.
Marksistsko-leninskaya dialektika [Marxist-Leninist dialectics] (1983–1988), in 8 books, books 1–5, Moscow, USSR.
Materialisticheskaya dialektika kak obshchaya teoriya razvitiya [Materialistic dialectics as a general development theory] (1982–1983), in 4 vol., Moscow, USSR.
Melikh ,Yu.B. (2011), Irratsional'noe rasshirenie filosofii G. V. F. Gegelya i I. Kan¬ta v Rossii [Irrational development of G. W. F. Hegel’s and I. Kant’s philosophy in Russia], in Vestnik MGTU [Bulletin of Murmansk State Technical University], vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 330–336.
Novgorodtsev, P.I. (1991), Ob obshchestvennom ideale [On the social ideal], Moscow, Russia.
Orudzhev, Z.M. (1973), Dialektika kak sistema [Dialectics as a system], Moscow, USSR.
Sadovskiy, G.I. (1982), Dialektika mysli. Logika ponyatiy kak teoriya otrazheniya sushchnosti razvitiya [Dialectics of thought. Logic of concepts as a theory of reflection of the development essence], Minsk, USSR.
Solovyov, V.S. (1990), Tayna progressa [The mystery of progress], in Solovyov, V.S. Sochineniya [Works], in 2 vol., vol. 2, Moscow, USSR, pp. 556–557.
Solovyov, V.S. (1990), Tri razgovora [Three talks], in Solovyov, V.S. Sochineniya [Works], in 2 vol., vol. 2, Moscow, USSR, pp. 635–762.
Frank, S.L. (1992), Dukhovnye osnovy obshchestva [Spiritual foundations of society], Moscow, Russia, pp. 13–146.
Frantsuzskie marksisty o dialektike [French Marxists on dialectics] (1982), Moscow, USSR.
Khabermas, Yu., Rattsinger, Y. (Benediktus XVI) (2006), Dialektika sekulyarizatsii. O razume i religii [The dialectics of secularization. On reason and religion], Moscow, Russia.
Shestov, L. (1992), Kirkegard i ekzistentsial'naya filosofiya (Glas vopiyushchego v pustyne) [Kierkegaard and existential philosophy (Voice crying in the wilderness)], Moscow, Russia.
Schopenhauer, A. (2001), Parerga i Paralipomena [Parerga and Paralipomena], in Schopenhauer, A. Sobranie sochineniy [Selected works], in 6 vol., vol. 5, Moscow, Russia.
Schopenhauer, A. (2001), Novye Paralipomena. Otdel'nye, no sistematicheski izlozhennye mysli o raznogo roda predmetakh. 1810–1860 [New Paralipomena. Separate but systematically expressed thoughts on different subjects], in Schopenhauer, A. Sobranie sochineniy [Selected works], in 6 vol., vol. 6, Moscow, Russia, pp. 51–54.
Schopenhauer, A. (2001), Eristicheskaya dialektika, ili iskusstvo pobezhdat' v sporakh [Eristic dialectics, or the art of winning in disputes], in Schopenhauer, A. Sobranie sochineniy [Selected works], in 6 vol., vol. 6, Moscow, Russia, pp. 259–288.
Jameson, F. (1971), Marxism and form: Twentieth-century dialectical theories of literature, Princeton University press, USA.
McTaggart, J.E. (1922), Studies in Hegelian dialectic, Cambridge University press, UK.
