The great age of Russian philosophy spans the century between 1830 and 1930 - from the famous Slavophile-Westernizer controversy of the 1830s and 1840s, through the 'Silver Age' of Russian culture at the beginning of the twentieth century, to the formation of a Russian 'philosophical emigration' in the wake of the Russian Revolution. This volume is a major history and interpretation of Russian philosophy in this period. Eighteen chapters (plus a substantial introduction and afterword) discuss Russian philosophy's main figures, schools and controversies, while simultaneously pursuing a common central theme: the development of a distinctive Russian tradition of philosophical humanism focused on the defence of human dignity. As this volume shows, the century-long debate over the meaning and grounds of human dignity, freedom and the just society involved thinkers of all backgrounds and positions, transcending easy classification as 'religious' or 'secular'. The debate still resonates strongly today.

"....this volume traces the development of what is argued to be a uniquely Russian philosophical humanism.... an excellent snapshot of Russian intellectual commitments.... It is a welcome contribution to Russian philosophical thought, a field of growing interest, and paves the way for more focused and in-depth studies.... Recommended...."
--J. Donohoe, University of West Georgia, CHOICE

"...finely produced and edited collection.... provide, among other things, a marvelous bibliography—and by the consistently high literary quality of the individual contributions.... this volume has both encyclopedic and monographic dimensions; its overarching argument is thought-provoking for specialists, even as its parts could be used for undergraduate or graduate courses.... It is, in short, a real gift to the field."
--John Randolph, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Slavic Review