There are no languageless cultures, or on the relevance of Pyotr Bitsilli’s methodological strategy

Abstract

The intellectual heritage of thinkers of the Russian abroad today is increasingly attracting the attention of researchers of Russian philosophy of the first half of the 20th century. Although the author clarifies, one can sometimes hear that we are talking about philosophers of a kind of “second place”, since thinkers of the level of Berdyaev, Shestov, and Stepun are already quite fully and comprehensively represented in the relevant literature. The author of the article believes that it is not enough to limit oneself to only historical-philosophical academic interest in turning to the work of philosophers of this era. With great attention and breadth, sometimes anew, to the ideas of thinkers of the Russian abroad, we are forced to turn to the changing socio-spiritual situation of our time. The processes of globalization, the contacts of cultures, and civilizations make their heritage extremely relevant today. A striking example of this is the work of Pyotr Bitsilli. Based on several of Bitsilli’s works, and in particular on his article Nation and Language, the author emphasizes the specific relevance of the methodological strategy of the philosopher and historian. In addition, the author reveals another specific aspect of Bitsilli’s methodology — the interdisciplinary nature of his research. It is the breadth of intellectual horizons, as well as in-depth knowledge in the field of philosophy, history, and linguistics, that distinguish Bitsilli. His work is gaining particular semantic fullness at present, when the themes of the nation, language, culture, as well as their correlation, are given new perspectives in modern socio-cultural dynamics. The author of the article suggests that hermeneutic and narrative approaches allow them to acquire specific features in the philosophical interpretations of Bitsilli.