Pyotr Chaadayev

Pyotr Yakovlevich Chaadayev (Russian Пётр Яковлевич Чаадаев, scientific transliteration Pëtr Jakovlevic Čaadaev; * Maijul 27 / 7 June 1794greg in Moscow, .. .. † 14 Apriljul / 26 April 1856greg ) was a Russian philosopher and political thinker.

Life and effect

After 1812, the Moscow University Chaadayev had to leave without a degree, he joined the army and served in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1816 he joined the Masonic Lodge Sojedinjonnyje Bratja (Russian Соединённые братья, United Brethren ), and left them 1822. During the later 1820s he was a frequent visitor to Moscow literary circles, made ​​friends with Alexander Pushkin, Griboyedov, and served as a literary model for the Tschatski satirist in his comedy mind creates suffering.

His first philosophical letter, which was first written in French in 1826 and 1836 in the journal " telescope " was released, made him known in the educated circles of Russia and caused quite a stir. In it he described Russia as mentally ... completely insignificant and gave the Russian Church to blame for the " Russian backwardness ". Following the publication of this letter Tsar Nicholas I had him declared insane and forbade him other publications. However Chaadayev continued to work and was still writing in the same year, the Apology of a Madman. In it, he developed theories that led to the clashes between the flows of the Slavophiles and the Westerners.

Quote

" We have no tradition, no history that would have educated our people. We have no past and no future. Isolated from the rest of humanity, each own development, any real progress we lack. From the ideas of duty, justice and order, which make up the atmosphere of the West, we are untouched [ ... ] confusion is a general train our people [ ... ] Providence seems to have completely ignored. We have a huge country - but mentally we are completely insignificant, a gap in the world order. "

Works

  • Apology of a Madman. Philosophical writings of history. Reclam, Leipzig 1992, ISBN 3-379-01422-2.
  • Philosophical Works of Peter Chaadaev. (Ed. R. T. Mcnally and R. Tempest ). Springer, Berlin 1991, ISBN 0-7923-1285-6.
  • Oeurvres inedites ou rares. (Ed. R. McNally ). Salve, Centre d' Etudes Russes, Meudon, 1990, ISBN 2-908706-00-8.
  • Philosophical Letters & apology of a madman. Univ. of Tennessee Press, Knoxville 1969, ISBN 0-87049-102-4.
  • Writings and letters. Übers and inlaid. Elias Hurwicz, three masks, Munich 1921.
June 7 April 26 Aleksander Griboyedov Westernizer Integrated Authority File
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