Dvoretskaya Marianna; Turina Anna

Meaning of life in religious and philosophical anthropology of Victor Nesmelov

Abstract

This article deals with the anthropological ideas of the Russian philosopher and theologian V. I. Nesmelov (Russ. В.И. Несмелов) in the context of the problem of the search of the meaning of life. The study of this issue opens perspectives for the deeper understanding of spiritual and moral development and the search of self-identifi cation of the person in the present-day world. The study applies a historical method of systematisation of ideas and sets out the scholar’s view of this issue. Nesmelov considers the person from the point of view of three directions, namely Orthodoxy, philosophy and psychology of his time. He termed his doctrine religious and philosophical anthropology. The scholar associates the meaning of life with social benefi ts, moral duty of the person, the principle of self-denial and the sublime freedom of the person. He also distinguishes various principles of life: the meaning of life, the ideal, to which the person attempts to adjust his or her life; pleasures of life; reality which requires the person to adapt. It is just the struggle of these principles, elements of self-consciousness, that explicates the problem of the meaning of life. Only with the emergence of Christianity in the doctrine of the New Testament revelation was this problem raised and solved.

Keywords

Russian religious philosophy, Victor Nesmelov, self-identity, religious and philosophical anthropology, meaning of life, individual moral duty, benefi ts of life, Christian philosophy, philosophy of duty, existential questions, self-denial

References

1. Dvoreckaja M. Ja., “Psihologicheskoe uchenie o cheloveke v trudah V. A. Snegireva i V. I. Nesmelova”, in: Psihologicheskaja podgotovka pedagoga v Rossii: istorija i sovremennost', 2006, 35–41.
2. Poltorackij N. P., ed., Russkaja religiozno-fi losofskaja mysl' XX veka, Pittsburg, 1975.

Information about the author

Dvoretskaya Marianna

Academic Degree: Doctor of Sciences* in Psychological Sciences;
Academic Rank: Associate Professor;
Place of work: Herzen State Pedagogical University;
Post: Professor Department of Human Psychology, Institute of Psychology;
ORCID: 0000-0003-4321-8360;
Email: dvoretskaya/marianna@yandex.ru.

*According to ISCED 2011, a post-doctoral degree called Doctor of Sciences (D.Sc.) is given to reflect second advanced research qualifications or higher doctorates.

Turina Anna

Student status: Graduate student;
Place of study: Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia; St. Petersburg;
ORCID: 0000-0003-3140-617X;
Email: anna.turina.93@mail.ru.