Another Renaissance (comments on one fragment by V. V. Bibikhin)

Identificator

EDN: DJURXM ; УДК: 111+140.8

Authors

Komarov Sergey Vladimirovich, Doctor of Philosophy, associate professor, professor of the Department of Philosophy, dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Sociology, Perm State National Research University. Russia, Perm. ORCID: 0000-0001-7358-6151. E-mail: philos.perm@gmail.com

Journal

HERALD OF VYATKA STATE UNIVERSITY №2 (156), 2025

Section

PHILOSOPHICAL SCIENCES. PANEL DISCOURSE "RUSSIAN PHILOSOPHY: AN EXPERIENCE WITH POLYPHONY"

Pages

9-18

Abstract

The article analyzes a small fragment from the book by V. V. Bibikhin "The Language of Philosophy" (1989). The main idea of this fragment is the assertion about the Renaissance character of Russia as a historical entity. The Renaissance character of Russian existence is revealed through three concepts – Russian negativity, the metaphysics of the Russian people, the essence of Russian existence. Firstly, the phenomenon of Russian negativity is considered, which is expressed in the negative attitude of a Russian person to his own finitude as an expression of his original sinfulness. However, the difference in attitudes towards his finitude and the integral World of a Russian person and a European mean the differentiation of the negative. It is shown that, unlike a European, this attitude is realized in the desire to master the external World, but in the desire for internal self-transformation. This is expressed, in contrast to the Europeans, in the ambivalent attitude of Russians to the social institutions of the state and power. Secondly, the fundamental metaphysics of the Russian people, which is hidden behind this negativity, is considered. lies in the deification of the World. The negative attitude of man to his finitude has the reverse side of a positive acceptance of the world as a holistic being. Therefore, in contrast to the Machenschaft of the European, which is expressed in the exploitation of all nature and man himself as their total negation, the positive acceptance of the World as a holistic being turns out to be his (other) Renaissance. The metaphysics of Russian existence is connected with the realization of the ideal of infinite and integral existence, in the embodiment of heavenly existence in earthly existence. This, thirdly, determines the very essence of Russian existence (Russentum). The Renaissance nature of Russian existence consists in the eternal beginning of presence in the World through the transformation of man. This is expressed paradoxically in Russian history: it is a continuing attempt to begin historical existence anew. Renaissance is always an attempt to be realized in historical reality. The most adequate cultural form of the Russian Renaissance is not social institutions, but poetry and philosophy.

Keywords

Renaissance Russia negativity finitude Machenschaft transfiguration Russentum history

Recieved

07.10.2025

Published

14.04.2026

References

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