Around Frank: Context in Research on the History of Russian Thought

Book Review: Aljaev G. E. (2020) Russkaja Filosofi ja Vokrug S. L. Franka. Izbrannye stat’i [Russian philosophy around S. L. Frank. Selected Articles], Moscow: Modest Kolerov

Abstract

The book by G. E. Alyaev summarizes long-term research of the philosophy of S. L. Frank and other Russian thinkers. It contains the articles examine the main features of the heritage of Russian philosophers and the results of archival research. Alyaev's approach combines the aspects of conceptual analysis, reception history and archive work. The main sections of the book demonstrate the practical implementation of research ideas formulated in the introduction. The integrated methodology allows to avoid endless disputes on the ideological question if the Russian philosophy is “better” or “worse” than the Western one. Alyaev admits that the Russian thought, which often interprets itself as closer to real life than the Western intellectual traditions, explicitly sets the task of developing a national idea, but cannot be reduced to it. Moreover, the connection of the ideas of Russian philosophers to practical and political issues reveals its relevance for current intellectual discussions. Alaev's reflections are close to the approach demonstrated in the works of E. van der Zweerde, who emphasizes that the national dimension of philosophy should not be opposed to the universal one. However, the methodological aspect of Alaev's book is not sufficiently discussed and can be fruitfully supplemented by contemporary approaches of intellectual history.