Shpet, the ships and the Silver Age: on demythologising Russian philosophy

The centennial of the infamous Philosophers’ Ships ( filosofskii parokhod ) in 2022 offered an opportunity to examine the story that has been evolving around those involved since the end of the Soviet era. This article discusses the place of Gustav Shpet in the myth of the 1922 steamers. Although he...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in East European thought Vol. 77; no. 4; pp. 695 - 711
Main Author: Bourgeot, Liisa
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.08.2025
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Age
Education
History
Messianic movements
Narratives
Philosophers
Philosophy
Political Philosophy
Political Science
Postcommunist societies
Ships
Traditions
Russia
Gustav Shpet
Russian philosophy
Nikolai Berdyaev
Philosophers’ ships
The Silver Age
ISSN:0925-9392, 1573-0948
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The centennial of the infamous Philosophers’ Ships ( filosofskii parokhod ) in 2022 offered an opportunity to examine the story that has been evolving around those involved since the end of the Soviet era. This article discusses the place of Gustav Shpet in the myth of the 1922 steamers. Although he never boarded the steamers, Shpet has come to be associated with their story. In asking why this is the case, the article explores the ships’ history as a part of the popular conception of Russian ‘Silver Age’ philosophy. It suggests that this concept developed during the post-Soviet search for an ‘authentically’ Russian philosophical identity and under the strong influence of Nikolai Berdyaev’s émigré era texts on Russian messianism. An examination of Shpet’s and Berdyaev’s parallel philosophical developments between 1916 and 1922 showcases the differences between the two thinkers. The article proposes that Shpet’s philosophy is indeed incompatible with the popular Silver Age narrative and that this narrative, therefore, is in need of revision.
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ISSN:0925-9392
1573-0948
DOI:10.1007/s11212-025-09704-2