Confirmation of the Spiritual Nature of Individual and Society in Yevhen Spektorskyi’s Works of the Emigrant Period

Abstract

The article presents the main issues of the works by the famous philosopher, jurist and educator Yevhen Vasyliovych Spektorskyi (1875‒1951) written during the period of forced emigration (1920‒1951) and professional activity at the universities of Belgrade, Prague, Ljubljana and the St. Volodymyr Orthodox Theological Seminary in New-York. In the intellectual biography of the thinker, these prolific years are marked by the development of issues in social science, philosophy, moral theology, and Christian ethics. In numerous works in various foreign languages, some of which have been analyzed in this article for the first time, Spektorskyi substantiated the importance of moral — as opposed to physical and mental — dimension of the existence of both individuals and society, for which he regarded the Christian religion to be a reference point. The latter, in his opinion, can truly explore the essence of the individual and social with the help of Christian sociology. The history of social philosophy is essential for social science as well as philosophy itself. Positioned between science and religion, philosophy has the capacity for free thinking, which is crucial for achieving a genuine understanding of society. As it is revealed in the article, the philosopher developed ethical guidelines within the framework of moral theology, criticizing naturalistic and mechanistic approaches to understanding society and the individual. Spektorskyi regarded freedom, dignity, and a righteous life according to the Christian ideal, as well as cultural activity, as fundamental values. The author argues that Spektorskyi’s affirmation of absolute values and the study of the relationship between the individual and society on the basis of the Christian religion provide grounds for evaluating Spektorskyi as an exceptionally religious philosopher.