“Chaadayev's Philosophy, or the Discarded Stone, which Lay at the Forefront” Lecture by Vladimir Kantor
Within the framework of the project “University Open to the City: HSE Lectures in Moscow Museums”, an ordinary professor at the Higher School of Economics, the head of the International Laboratory for the Study of Russian and European Intellectual Dialogue, Vladimir K. Kantor, gave the lecture entitled “Chaadaev’s Philosophy, or Discarded Stone, Which Led at the Forefront” in the "Manor of the Murav'ovy-Apostoly" Museum.
Osip Mandelstam stated as a certain fact: “The trace left by Chaadaev in the minds of Russian society is so deep and indelible that the question arises involuntarily: is it not a diamond drawn on glass?” In Russian culture, it is difficult to name a more meaningful name. Just as Peter the Great gave an impetus to the state and civilizational structure of Russia, Chaadaev gave the same impetus in the field of Russian thought and crystallized it.
“Fatal name” - this is how Alexander Pushkin wrote about Petr Chaadaev. Rock in the understanding of the ancients meant fate. Chaadaev committed a decisive, fatal act, fatal for himself and the circle of those close to him, but his life and his legacy turned out to be crucial for Russian culture. It was Chaadaev who, declared crazy, more than any other Russian thinker had the enviable honor and bitter fate to be the stone rejected by the builders, which, as the Gospel says, lay at the forefront.
Video of the lecture is coming soon.