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Annotation
This publication contains the proceedings of the International scientific and public conference “Problems of Russian Cosmism” that reveal to a certain extent an understanding of this philosophical movement from the standpoint of a new kind of thinking. Such an approach to the Russian cosmism allows us to consider it as an integral cultural and historical phenomenon that embraces the philosophy of the Russian Silver Age and the philosophy of cosmic reality elaborated by the Roerich family. Both these phases of the evolution of the Russian cosmism have a common source – the creative impulse of cosmic evolution.
This collected volume is intended for researchers, university teachers and students who are interested in Russian cosmism and Russian culture in general.
International scientific and public conference “Problems of Russian Cosmism”, held at the International Centre of the Roerichs on October 8–11, 2013, was the first one to raise the issue of studying Russian cosmism from the standpoint of philosophy of cosmic reality. Deep meaning of this view on Russian cosmism lies in the fact that the principles of the Living Ethics can reveal an intrinsic philosophical meaning of Russian cosmism and its evolutionary significance.
Having widely embraced scientific and philosophical thought, arts and literature at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries, Russian cosmism is closely associated with the names of such prominent figures as Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Vladimir Vernadsky, Alexander Chizhevsky, Nicholas Roerich, Helena Roerich, George Roerich, Svetoslav Roerich, Vladimir Solovyov, Nikolai Berdyaev, Sergei Bulgakov, Pavel Florensky, Aleksander Sukhovo-Kobylin, Nikolai Cholodny, Nikolai Pirogov, Alexander Blok, Andrei Bely, Maximilian Voloshin, Konstantin Balmont, Dmitry Merezhkovsky, Alexander Scriabin, Mikalojus K. Ciurlionis, Mikhail Vrubel, Boris Smirnov-Rusetsky, Viktor Chernovolenko and many others. Representatives of the Russian cosmism brought new ideas about a man and his multidimensional relationship with the universe, enriched science with evidence of inseparable link between the terrestrial processes and the cosmic rhythms; they developed the idea of animatedness of cosmic matter and raised the question of the necessity to update the scientific method, etc.
One of the main features of cosmic thinking is the formation of a new system of cognition based on a synthesis of empirical scientific method and meta-scientific cognition by means of the inner, spiritual space of a person. It is significant that this system is inseparable from the ethics. A key role in the development of cosmic thinking is played by the philosophy of the Living Ethics created by Helena Roerich in cooperation with the Teachers of the East. This teaching contains the outlines of a new theory of cognition and its methodology.
A prominent place in the development of cosmic thinking, or cosmism, is occupied by the works of a great scientist and philosopher Lyudmila Shaposhnikova, who develops the provisions of the Living Ethics, maintaining the continuity in the development of scientific and philosophical ideas suggested by the Roerich family members, and other prominent cosmist thinkers.
At the same time, along with the rising importance of the cosmism’s ideas in the modern scientific and philosophical thought, and their relevance to the society’s sustainable development, there are forces that reject the ideological foundations of cosmism and aim to findfault with the views of its outstanding representatives. In this situation, it is becoming more and more urgent to develop and promote the ideas of cosmism among various social strata, especially among scientists, educators and cultural workers, as well as to defend the names and ideas of cosmists from ignorant criticism and distortions.
Scientific proceedings of the conference make a significant contribution to the development of a new scientific picture of the world, which is based on the cosmic world-view. The conference plays an important role in the formation of cosmic consciousness among people, which is essential for understanding and solving humanity’s most pressing problems.
The conference’s main goal, which is achieved to some extent, is to understand the evolutionary significance of the Russian cosmism. One of the conference’s important outcomes was the rising awareness of the need to unite the scientists’ efforts for further study of the issues of the Russian cosmism. The main guidelines for this research could be the following: to interpret and develop further the methodology of the cosmic reality philosophy applied to the study of the Russian cosmism; to investigate the issues of the Russian cosmism that to a greater or lesser extent were highlighted by all its representatives, or at least by most of them; to determine the characteristics of the various stages in the development of the Russian cosmism, namely the philosophy of cosmism of the Russian Silver Age and the philosophy of the Living Ethics by the Roerich, and the general trends in evolution of the Russian cosmism.
This collected edition contains reports that address various issues and aspects of the Russian cosmism.