Symbol and symbolism in the works of K. F. Zhakov

The paper deals with the idea of a symbol which was formed in the works of original Komi writer and philosopher K. F. Zhakov who was the mouthpiece of the culture of Russian Silver Age. The following works of Zhakov are analyzed: «The theory of variable and limit in the epistemology and history of knowledge» (1904), «The principle of evolution in epistemology, metaphysics and morality» (1906), «The basics of the evolutionary theory of knowledge (limitizm)» (1912). At first, Zhakov called his doctrine an evolutional symbolism and presented a symbol as a certain general scientific and general philosophic category in which is conveyed a specific character of human cognition and thinking. Afterwards, he names his doctrine as «limitizm», but the basic ideas were laid in his works of 1900’s. The metaphysics of Zhakov is based on the gnoseological problematics which was central for a number of Russian philosophers and poets-symbolists of that time. The actualization of the problems of cognition and language of science was connected with the movement of neo-Kantianism, in the course of which Zhakov worked although he did not accept Kant’s philosophy. The paper shows the closeness of ideas about the symbol and cognition between Zhakov and E. Cassirer - the German Neo-Kantian philosopher, creator of the new «philosophy of symbolic forms». These ideas demonstrate the tendency to the universal system of knowledge and the universe based on understanding the special nature of human thinking, the fixation of continuous process of cognition and its symbolism in relation to the reality, handling with the mathematical concepts «function», «variable», «limit», that is attempting to bring a language of exact sciences to philosophy. Zhakov’s gnoseological or evolutional symbolism becomes a mythological symbolism in his works. All these moments determine the pathos of artistic work of Zhakov and make him close to Russian symbolism. The interaction of philosophy and artistic creativity is examined in the poems «The songs of Pam-Bur-Mort» published in «Green collection of poems and prose» of symbolists (1905). These poems were also presented in the book «To the North in search for Pam Bur-Mort» (1905) in more enhanced form. Zhakov synthesizes the images and ideas of different world religious and philosophical systems such as Hinduism, Christianity and paganism, resulting in original lyrical-philosophical opinion related to «evolutional symbolism» of the author but much more vivid and passionate.

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