The article is devoted to the consideration of the evolution of epistemological views of Victor Ivanovich Nesmelov, professor of the Kazan Theological Academy. For the first time the article provides the analysis of some aspects of the Kazan thinker’s early work “The Problem of Knowledge. The Experience of Studying the Natural Origin and Form of Philosophical Knowledge” (1888). The following concepts of the “late” Nesmelov’s gnoseology are analyzed: 1) the problem of correlation of religious faith and scientific knowledge; 2) the problem of subject-object relations; 3) the problem of rational and empirical processes of knowledge. The significance of spiritual experience and religious faith is shown in Nesmelov’s gnoseological views. In consideration of the problem of consciousness at the beginning of his creativity Nesmelov emphasizes sensual experience, but subsequently, speaking about knowledge, connects it with internal experience understanding it more fundamental, than external. Nesmelov begins to consider the person as the main object of philosophy, and he announces self-knowledge, or internal experience of the person, as the main way of understanding the truth. In late works complete knowledge of the world arises from synthesis of a religious intuition, mystical enlightenments and a discourse of philosophy and natural sciences, i.e. both belief and reason play an important role in judgment of the world, the person, the Absolute; in early work Nesmelov sharply parts religion and philosophy, and identifies philosophy with empirical sciences emphasizing importance of scientific knowledge. He almost doesn’t consider belief as a possible method of understanding the world. Late Nesmelov, on the contrary, criticizes empiricism and speaks about reasonable interpretation of the facts belittling the role of sensual experience.
Keywords: philosophical and religious anthropology, theism, spiritual and academic philosophy, gnoseology, faith, knowledge
DOI: 10.22250/2072-8662.2017.3.87-114
About the author
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Albina A. Sulema – Assistant at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, School of Humanities, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU); build. F, Ajax, FEFU Campus, Russky Island, Primorsky Krai, 690920; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |