V. I. Vernadsky and his teaching about life from the point of view of Christian theology

Authors

  • Priest Sergei Krivovichev St. Petersburg Theological Academy

Keywords:

Vernadsky, life as a primary concept, new natural science, abio­genesis, consciousness

Abstract

V. I.  Vernadsky (1863–1945), an outstanding Russian scientist, organizer of science, historian and philosopher of natural science, consciously placed "philosophy, science, and religion on an equal footing." Being far from Orthodoxy, he at the same time realized the importance of religious knowledge of the world, seeing a certain truth in the teachings of pantheism and hylozoism. V. I. Vernadsky came to these worldview doctrines in the process of studying living matter and life in general, which he considered a primary concept that cannot be reduced to simpler concepts. Recognition of the special status of life as a phenomenon of the Universe is in agreement with the Orthodox doctrine of the tripartite nature of man ( body-soul-spiri) and expresses the tripartite structure of the world (matter-life-consciousness). In his works, V. I. Vernadsky did not touch upon the question of the nature of consciousness.

Author Biography

Priest Sergei Krivovichev, St. Petersburg Theological Academy

Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Candidate of Theology,
Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
General Director of the Kola Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Professor of St. Petersburg State University;
St. Petersburg Theological Academy (Russia)

Published

2023-10-29

Issue

Section

Historical Theology