Karsavin as philosopher of personality

Sergej Horužij

pp. 97-104

in: Nikolaj Plotnikov (ed), The Discourse of personality in the Russian intellectual tradition, Studies in East European Thought 61, 2009.

Abstract

A brief outline of L.P. Karsavin's theory of personality is presented, which reconstructs the system of key concepts of this theory and traces its evolution through Karsavin's work. The system is analyzed in its relation to the two basic paradigms of European personalist thought, the anthropological paradigm developed in Western metaphysics, and the theological paradigm created by the Greek Church Fathers and practically not used in European philosophy. The conclusion is drawn that Karsavin's personalism returns gradually to the theological paradigm and via the works of Vladimir Lossky it stimulated the contemporary renaissance of this paradigm in Orthodox theology.