Zlotnikova T.S. A Russian philosopher in search of meanings

Abstract:   The subject of this research is the original intellectual discourse of the contemporary philosopher S. Nickolsky, pertaining to the Russian classical literature in the book “Horizons of Meanings. Philosophical Interpretations of Russian literature of the XIX-XX centuries”. The author determines the dominant of this discourse – the concept of the “Russian worldview”, as well as underlines the importance of understanding of the Russian writers as philosophers (from Goncharov to Platonov). The presented in the book system of signs or aspect of the Russian worldview, the main of which is considered the binary (including an opposition of “life/death) is being defined. The author notes the uniqueness of a conceptual approach towards Lermontov, Slavophiles, Herzen, Tolstoy, Platonov, and Akhmatova. The scientific novelty is defined by the polemics suggested by the author with regards to S. Nickolsy’s book. We start a dialogue with the author of the book concerning his assessment of the relations between the “writer” and the “power”, which he considers exceptional in the works of Platonov; with regards to recognition of Chekhov’s characters primarily positive or negative; with regards to the absence in the book of special parts dedicated to Pushkin, Gogol, and Gorky.  

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