An overview of Russian philosophy from Skovoroda to Leontiev and Rozanov.
“Publishing the present book, on which I worked for several years, I consider it necessary to preface it with a short introduction.
Writing a history of Russian philosophy had long been my dream. Since 1910 I had been collecting materials for this work and did not abandon it even when I found myself abroad. Of particular importance to me in this regard were the lectures on the history of Russian philosophy which I read several times to the senior course of the Theological Institute. It was in these lectures that I had the opportunity many times to test my basic conception, which had taken shape as a result of my studies. Preparing this book for publication, I once again carefully studied all the sources — insofar as they were available to me — and as a result of this painstaking work my basic point of view on the development of Russian philosophical thought became even firmer within me.
“I may be reproached for the fact that I not only present and analyze the systems of Russian philosophers, but also connect these systems with the general conditions of Russian life. But a historian cannot proceed otherwise — and especially a historian of philosophical thought. To the extent that independent constructions developed in Russian philosophy, despite its undeniable connection and even dependence on Western European thought, they are connected not only with the logic of ideas, but also with the demands and conditions of Russian life. To the extent that I succeeded in revealing the inner unity and dialectical connectedness in the development of Russian philosophy, I tried to present this in my book with maximum objectivity.”