Atheism, history and ‘autonomous subject’ in the consciousness of russian 'westernizers’

Abstract

The paper analyzes the ‘subjective discourse’ of the so-called Russian ‘Westernizers’, as exemplified by Nicolay Stankievitch, Vissarion Belinskiy and Aleksandr Herzen’s ego-documents. The scope of the study is how the principles of subject’s autonomy / subject’s integration may combine. In the ideology and self-awareness of Russian Westernizers’ movement of the XIX c., asserting the value of an ‘autonomous self’ meant at the same time rejecting a transcendental ‘divine’ authority and showing nihilism in respect of the then existing social norms and prescriptions. The loss of metaphysical foundations for social integri-ty was compensated by the incorporation of subject (self) in the historical pro-cess, often proceeding at the level of linking the present social alienation to the future integrity of the society. Subject’s involvement with history represents itself through the ‘transgression personality traits’ which are symptomatic of disparity between a ‘historical figure’ and actual circumstances. History itself acquires the traits of a sacral combination of autonomy and heterogeneity.