RUDN Journal of PhilosophyRUDN Journal of Philosophy2313-23022408-8900Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)1765910.22363/2313-2302-2017-21-4-488-494Research ArticleP.YA. CHAADAYEV: FROM MYTHOLOGICAL IMAGE TO REAL PHIGURENizhnikovS Anizhnikovs@mail.ruRUDN University (Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia)1512201721448849417012018Copyright © 2017, Nizhnikov S.A.2017<p>The author criticizes the existing opinion that Petr Yakovlevich Chaadayev belongs to liberal Western ideology. On the basis of the investigation of the original texts he shows the evolution and contradic-tions in Chaadayevs views. In the conclusion, the thinker emerges as an almost Christian philosopher, build-ing special historiosophy and trying to unite faith and knowledge. From praising Catholic sociality he passed to the recognition of Eastern Christianity values and spirituality, began to see the advantages of the Russian civilization and the lacks of the Western one in what he came closer to F.M. Dostoevsky's views. The article provides insight into Chaadayevs polemics with Slavophiles, which promoted the evolution of his ideas. The author shows the discrepancy of Chaadayevs understanding of Christianity, the heterodoxy of his views, special understanding of eschatology, philosophy of history, etc.</p>historiosophyfaithknowledgeSlavophilismWesternismknowledgepatriotismChristianityисториософияславянофильствозападничествоверазнаниепатриотизмхристианство[Annenkov PV. Literaturnye vospominaniya. Moscow: GIHL Publisher; 1960. (In Russ.)][Gercen A. Works. In 2 volumes. Vol. 2. Moscow: Mysl' Publisher; 1986. (In Russ.)][Gershenzon MO. Griboedovskaya Moskva. P.Ya. Chaadayev. Ocherki proshlogo. Moscow: Mosk. rabochii; 1989. (In Russ.)][Kireyevsky IV. V otvet A.S. Khomyakovu. In: Kireyevsky IV, Kireyevsky PV. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii: In 4 volumes. Vol. 1. Kaluga: Izdatel'skii pedagogicheskii tsentr «Grif»; 2006. p. 33—46. (In Russ.)][Pushkin AS. A Pis'mo P.Ya. Chaadaevu ot 19 oktyabrya 1836 g. In: Perepiska A.S. Pushkina. In 2 volumes. Vol. 2. Moscow, «Khudozhestvennaya literatura»; 1982. (In Russ.)][Tarasov B. P.Ya. Chaadaev i russkaya literatura pervoi poloviny XIX veka. In: Chaadaev P.Ya. Stat'i i pis'ma. Moscow; 1989. p. 5—37. (In Russ.)][Tynyanova ON. «..Pred litsem sego budushchego veka». Poznanie i ego sub"ekt: nad stikhiei.. vnutri stikhii.. protiv stikhii?.. Space and Time. 2017;1(27):10—16. (In Russ.)][Khomyakov AS. Neskol'ko slov o filosoficheskom pis'me. In: Khomyakov AS. Works in 2 volumes. Vol. 1. Works on Historiosophy. Moscow: Moskovskii filosofskii fond. Izd-vo «Medium»; 1994. p. 449—455. (In Russ.)][Chaadaev PYa. Stat'i i pis'ma. Moscow: Sovremennik; 1989. (In Russ.)]