UDC: 1(091)(470)
https://doi.org/10.25198/2077-7175-2025-5-96


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«THE PHILOSOPHY OF TRUTH» BY ARCHIMANDRITE GABRIEL (V. N. VOSKRESENSKY): AN EXPERIENCE IN CREATING A NATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF LAW

V. V. Vanchugov
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
e-mail: vanchugov.v@yandex.ru

Abstract. This article presents the creative project of Archimandrite Gabriel (V. N. Voskresensky), a prominent figure of the first half of the 19th century, a theologian, philosopher, and scholarly monk. Archimandrite Gabriel is a key figure for understanding the historical and philosophical process in Russia for several reasons. First and foremost, he created the world’s first history of Russian philosophy, creating a new academic genre for his time, «Russian philosophy». But as an intellectual «pioneer» in the historiographical format, he consistently constructed not only a «Russian philosophy» but also a national philosophy of law, known as «philosophical truth». After composing the first «history of Russian philosophy» in Russia (1840), Archimandrite Gabriel undertook the development of a textbook at the Imperial Kazan University, presenting a philosophy of law reflecting the precepts of his time, characterized by the clash of «faith and reason», «conservative and liberal». Adhering to the parameters of historical and philosophical research (revealing the form and essence of ideas in their history, the genealogy of the intellectual process), he reconstructed a creative event, a creative act, dominated by the formation of a nationally oriented philosophy of law, taking into account European experience but favoring its own themes and problems, materials, and methods. This study, conducted using the humanitarian archaeology of key factors influencing the scientific and educational processes of the mid- 19th century, explores these factors: higher education, church and state, ideology and education, and the renewal of academic techniques and practices while preserving the values inherent in the national cultural narrative. To achieve these objectives, the principle of «intellectual investigation» is employed, based on historical and philosophical reconstruction and cultural and civilizational hermeneutics. The study presents a set of key factors (institutions, individuals, texts, and situations) that contributed to the formation of a «philosophy of truth». The reconstruction of a set of legal ideas is based on philosophical and historical research in educational, scientific, ideological, and political contexts. The results provide an empirical, conceptual, and contextual basis for further research in philosophy and law, as well as material for educational programs in higher education.

Key words: philosophy, natural law, truth, really, legal philosophy, university, education, morality, ethics, ideology, practical philosophy, history of ideas.

Cite as: Vanchugov, V. V. (2025) [«The Philosophy of Truth» by Archimandrite Gabriel (V.N. Voskresensky): An Experience in Creating a National Philosophy of Law]. Intellekt. Innovacii. Investicii [Intellect. Innovations. Investments]. Vol. 5, pp. 96–107. – https://doi.org/10.25198/2077-7175-2025-5-96.


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