UDC: 1 (091)
https://doi.org/10.25198/2077-7175-2026-5-139


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UNDERSTANDING RELIGION IN THE PHILOSOPHICAL HERITAGE OF V. E. SESEMANN

Yu. V. Sokolova
National Research University «Moscow Power Engineering Institute», Moscow, Russia
e-mail: Sokolovayulv@mpei.ru

Abstract. Russian Neo-Kantianism is one of the most interesting phenomena in the history of Russian philosophy at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, its development took place in competition with the dominant Russian religious philosophy. The purpose of this article is to explore the philosophy of religion by Vasily Sesemann (1884–1963), a graduate of St. Petersburg University and a student of Hermann Cohen and Paul Natorp. To date, the understanding of religion in Russian Neo-Kantianism has not received much research attention, but an examination of the legacy of Sesemann shows the potential and productivity of such research. Sesemann has written several special works on religion, he also addresses the issue in his papers on ontology, epistemology, logic, ethics, aesthetics, and philosophy of culture. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the philosopher’s views on religion requires a thorough examination of his legacy written in Russian, German, and Lithuanian. The central problem for Sesemann in the philosophy of religion was the problem of knowledge and its rational and irrational aspects; he analyzes the dual role of knowledge in the Greek and Christian intellectual traditions. The philosopher identifies the specifics of religious knowledge, using concepts such as attitude, objectivity, experience, and direct experience. He also examines religion as a cultural and historical phenomenon and explores the religious aspect of the problem of freedom. The most important issue for Sesemann is the crisis of European culture, which prompts him to analyze the immanent and transcendent tendencies in the development of Christianity and their views on culture. The novelty of this research lies in its unique perspective on the work of Vasily Sesemann, which allows us to see the theoretical depth, objectivity, and unbiasedness of his approach to religious issues. Additionally, this research makes use of Sesemann’s works unpublished in Russian.

Key words: Russian Neo-Kantianism, Philosophy of Religion, Sesemann, Cognition, Attitude.

Cite as: Sokolova, Yu. V. (2026) [Understanding Religion in the Philosophical Heritage of V. E. Sesemann]. Intellekt. Innovacii. Investicii [Intellect. Innovations. Investments]. Vol. 5, pp. 139–147. – https://doi.org/10.25198/2077-7175-2026-5-139.


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