Towards the Spiritual Convergence of America and Russia: American Mind and Russian Soul, American Individuality and Russian Community, and the Potent Alchemy of National Characteristics
- Автор: Lapeyrouse Stephen Ludger
- Год: 1990
- Язык: английский
- ISBN: 0-9628048-0-0
- Жанр: История
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“If my efforts in this work are adequate to the task, I wish to make substantial intellectual contributions towards a clear description of how essential and profound a spiritual, philosophical and psychological relation exists, between characteristic highest (“vertical”) conceptions and aspirations — and tasks — of Mankind in America and Russia. The hope is that such understanding could contribute, essentially, towards a clearer, creative, and mutually-beneficial spiritual orientation — in thoughtful and heartful individuals of both nationalities — which might lead to a more conscious spiritual meeting of “Russian” and “American”; and thereby, possibly, promote an alchemical blending of the American Mind and Russian Soul, American Individuality and Russian Community. Such a greater clarity towards a greater spiritual realization, and more complete wholeness, in some men and women of each country, and thereby, perhaps, in portions of Mankind as a whole.” — the Author
Crosses over Concord’s “Hillside Chapel” and the Optina Pustyn Monastery
Dostoyevsky journeyed to Optina Pustyn in June of 1878, [174] with the young Vladimir Soloviev, to visit the Staretz Ambrose Grenkov, to seek reconciliation in his life, with the deeply disturbing death of a young son (Alyosha). In America, perhaps the nearest equivalent to this journey by two of the ‘deepest and truest’ of Russia, was the gathering of many of America’s best (e.g. Emerson, Bronson Alcott, Hiram K. Jones, William T. Harris, and others) at the Concord School of Philosophy. A clear recognition of the difference of mentality and atmosphere of the Optina Pustyn Monastery and the summer gatherings at the Concord School of Philosophy would contribute profoundly towards understanding the difference and direction of the intellectual and spiritual life of Russia and America.
Consider, for example, how profoundly differing are the comprehensions as to the purpose and meaning of Mankind, in quotes pertaining to the inner life of the Optina Pustyn monastery and the Concord School of Philosophy. In The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoyevsky partially renders in literature, his experience and understanding of this monastery, with its wise elders and holy life. “Father Zossima” (modeled partially cm Grenkov/Amvrosi) says of man:
Indeed many of the strongest feelings and movements of our nature we cannot comprehend on earth. Let not that be a stumbling block, and think not that it may serve as a justification to you for anything. For the Eternal Judge asks of you only what you can understand. You will know that yourself hereafter, for you will behold all things truly then and will not dispute them. On earth, indeed, we are as it were astray, and if it were not for the precious image of Christ before us, we should be undone and altogether lost, as was the human race before the flood. Much on earth is hidden from us, but to make up for that we have been given a precious mystic sense of our living bond with the other world, with the higher heavenly world, and the roots of our thoughts and feelings are not here but in other worlds. That is why the philosophers say that we cannot understand the reality of things on earth. [175]
“The philosophers say that we cannot understand the reality of things on earth.” Here we have a philosophy of life and man, reminiscent, because related, to the European culture of Christendom, during the so-called “Middle Ages”. This is, unquestionably, a “vertical” comprehension of life and man.
Compare this understanding of the meaning and purpose of life, and the mood and atmosphere of such thoughts, borne and held in the Optina Pustyn, to a well-written public recounting of the purpose of the Concord School of Philosophy from 1882:
‘It is high time [stated President of Princeton McCosh] that America should have a philosophy of its own,’ as it already has a literature, and art, and a history of its own. But this philosophy should not be merely derivative. All systems and methods should be candidly examined; and we should likewise look into the original undimmed source of all philosophies, viz., the mind itself. America should not adopt the old monarchical plan of enthroning one man and his system overall, but ought rather to develop a republic of philosophy, a federation of thought, diversity being reconciled in free but well-defined union [176]. The school is in harmony with this object. Our national life, powerful, vast and complex as it is, moves so swiftly that it is apt to be unreflecting. Exactly what we are about, what is the value of our civilization, and toward what ideals we are working, are things not so clear as they might be, and there is great need of keener analysis and more careful thinkers to prevent our drifting blindly — to prevent that is not by obstructive conservatism, but by progressive comprehension. To educate for this purpose then, is another object of the school. In order to know what to teach and what to receive we must seek through philosophy the one central principle on which the world, the universe, rests. Then we have to trace this back again from that, through all its manifestations in religion, government, literature, art, science and manners. This is manifestly a large job, and the Concord School does not expect to carry it out so that it will never have to be done again, but rather to set people in the right path, so that they can keep on doing it forever. At a time when Germany itself is overpowered by the influence of MILL, SPENSER and DARWIN, and the genius of materialism is getting so strong a hold everywhere, it is interesting to And that the Concord School reasserts with breadth and penetration the supremacy of the mind. It is in accord with the insight of EMERSON in making personality, mind, the soul, the main thing for which all exists. [177]
It should be understood that this interpretation of the ultimate meaning and purpose of the Concord School, and of philosophy in America — as was held by Princeton University President McCosh — would have been considered too prosaic and mundane by some of the other active participants of the school (including e.g. Emerson; Hiram K. Jones, a Christian Platonist, who helped found the school; Bronson Alcott, who lectured on mysticism, and on whose property the school gatherings were held). Yet such ideas, and description, could easily be spoken, and agreed to, by many, as a clear and accurate account of the substance and purpose of the “school”- and the character and purpose of philosophy.
A diversity, a pluralism of ideas, perspectives and “systems” were heard during the decade-long existence of the Concord School of Philosophy. These gatherings, for “instruction by conference and conversation in literature and the higher (i.e. idealistic) philosophy” (as the first circular described it), began their first session in July of 1879. It lasted five weeks, during which time were heard lectures and discussions on “Christian Theism, Speculative Philosophy, Platonic Philosophy, Political Philosophy”, et al. [178] During the decade of its existence, the Concord School of Philosophy saw many significant and notable personalties from the intellectual world of America and elsewhere, and considered a wide range of subjects and themes. In addition to the persons already mentioned, the ten summers saw, as participants: Louisa May Alcott, William H. Channing, Frederick Hedge, Julia Ward Howe, George Howison of Berkeley, William James, Miss Elizabeth Peabody, Alexander Wilder (occultist, theosophist, friend of H.P. Blavatsky, and H.S. Olcott); Presidents of the Universities of Wisconsin, Michigan, Yale, et al; plus many professors from diverse colleges and universities. Other topics included Aristotle, “American Philosophy”, Dante, Dramatic poetry, “Fate and Freedom”, Fichte, Goethe, Hegel, Kant, Marlowe, Milton, Neo-Platonism, Nirvana, “Pantheism and Modern Science”, Schelling, Schiller, Schopenhauer, Scottish Philosophy, Shakespeare, “Space and Time”, Spencer and many others. [179]
Yet, however learned and noble were the goals and activities of the founders and participants of the Concord School during the years from 1879-1889, the school’s inner life was one primarily characterizable as a pluralism of the mind; of that very mental life which Kireyevsky and other Russians had reacted to in Europe. It was predominately, in content, character, method and goal, an intellectual discussion; a comparison of ideas and “systems”; a contrasting of points of view; a “republic of philosophy, a federation of thought”. This is especially apparent when considered in relation to the “vertical”-veridical inwardness, the holiness, depth and purity, pursued by the genuine holy men in Russia’s monasteries — those spiritual sources toward whom Kireyevsky, Dostoyevsky, and many others, had turned for understanding, solace and wisdom. What is the most complete development of the human being? To this question, quite different answers would come from American and Russian “philosophy”.
[174] It was during this same summer, that a special gathering took place in Concord, Massachusetts, of Dr. Hiram K. Jones (a Neo-Platonist), Emerson, Bronson Alcott, F. B. Sanborn, et al, which led to the foundation and beginning of the Concord School of Philosophy the next summer.
[175] From The Brothers Karamazov, Part Two, Book VI, 2, (g). Dostoyevsky’s “vertical” comprehension of “thoughts” can be interestingly compared to that of Thomas Jefferson. As Jefferson’s idea concerning this was described in M. Curti’s Human Nature in American Thought: “thinking was ‘an action’ of a ‘particular organization of matter’ rather than an intangible supersensation or manifestation of the supernatural through mystical intuition or insight” (p. 81).
[176] This idea should be contrasted with that of Khomyakov which will be considered below. McCosh’s idea of this union would occur through mutual understanding and respect — an intellectual union. Khomyakov’s human union occurs through love and common faith.
[177] From “The Concord School of Philosophy”, Harper’s Weekly, Volume XXVI, No. 1889(7), 1882. It is not completely clear, in this article about the Concord School, whether all the material quoted is McCosh’s own words, a restatement of them, or a description by the anonymous author of this article. However this may be, the essential meaning and significance, in regard to my argument here, remains the same.
[178] “The Concord School of Philosophy”, Austin Warren, The New England Quarterly, Vol. 2 (1929) p. 202, et al.
[179] “The Concord School of Philosophy”, Austin Warren, The New England Quarterly, Vol. 2 (1929).