The subproject focuses on the refraction of the conception of energy in Russian religious philosophy and the philosophy of language, as much as they contributed to the formation of the Soviet avant-garde. The research proceeds along the following lines. First, the subproject studies the reception of Gregory Palamas’ doctrine and the Palamite “energetic” discourse in those Russian religious thinkers who were involved in the early Soviet avant-garde movement, such as Pavel Florensky, Vasily Zubov, and Alexei Losev, Valerian Muravyev, Alexander Gorsky and Nikolai Setnitsky. Second, it traces the development of Wilhelm von Humboldt’s teaching on energeia and ergon in language and his concept of the inner form of the word in Russian thinkers, dealing with the philosophy of language, such as Andrey Bely, Pavel Florensky, Alexei Losev, Vasily Zubov, and Gustav Shpet. Third, the subproject analyzes the synthesis and intertwinement of the two lines, Palamite and Humboldtian, in the teachings of some Russian thinkers, such as Pavel Florensky, Alexei Losev, and Vasily Zubov.

Postdoctoral researcher: Dmitry Biriukov