"The main question of philosophy is why we live": Alexei Kozyrev on why people search for meaning in times of crisis
In times of crisis, people turn to philosophy especially often, and this is no coincidence: it helps them avoid losing themselves in moments of uncertainty and find support when familiar points of reference no longer work. Alexei Kozyrev, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at Moscow State University and Head of the Department of the History of Russian Philosophy, spoke about this at a meeting of the Literary Club "What to Read?! Meanings" at the National Centre RUSSIA.
He recalled that periods of upheaval invariably give rise to books about the most fundamental questions. For example, Yevgeny Trubetskoy wrote "The Meaning of Life" in 1918, while Semyon Frank later published a book with the same title. According to the expert, the very concept of the meaning of life is one of the central themes of philosophical thought worldwide.
"Marxism argued that the fundamental question of philosophy is which comes first: matter or consciousness. But if you think about it, what difference does it make which comes first? What matters far more is how I live and how I cope with life. That is why I believe the main question of philosophy is why we live," said Alexei Kozyrev, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at Moscow State University, Head of the Department of the History of Russian Philosophy and Candidate of Philosophical Sciences.
According to the expert, philosophy does not provide ready-made answers, but it does help people build their own frame of reference.
"Within the intricate web of spiritual culture, we choose our own paths. Sometimes we can become trapped in that web, and sometimes we can break through towards the light. Philosophy then becomes not an end in itself, but a tool for shaping one's own life. I think that is precisely its main purpose. It is no coincidence that people turn to philosophy especially often in times of crisis," Alexei Kozyrev concluded.
Watch the full recording of the Literary Club "What to Read?! Meanings" meeting on "Russian Philosophy: Past, Present and Future", featuring Alexei Kozyrev, on the russia.ru website in the "Livestreams and Videos" section.
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