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Boris Vysheslavtsev

1877 – 1954

Russian philosopher

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About Boris Vysheslavtsev

Lived 1877 – 1954 (aged 76). Boris Vysheslavtsev was a Russian philosopher, writer and lawyer.

Boris Petrovich Vysheslavtsev (; 1877– October 5, 1954) was a Russian philosopher who belonged to the Russian Silver Age and Renaissance of Religion and Philosophy.

Life He did his doctorate on Fichte in 1914 and became a lecturer, later professor in the philosophy of law at Moscow University. He emigrated first to Berlin, then in 1924 to Paris. He spent most of his life at the Orthodox Theological Institute. While in Paris, he published the book The Ethics of a Transfigured Eros (1931). This book deals with the Christianisation of Freudian sublimation and is universally considered Vysheslavtsev's best work. He is noted for an attempt to apply concepts of depth psychology to ethics and to the interpretation of Christian doctrine.

During World War II, Vysheslavtsev collaborated with the Nazis, helping them write anti-Soviet propaganda. After the war, he fled to Switzerland to avoid prosecution.

Books Available in English translation: The Eternal in Russian Philosophy. Translated by Penelope V. Burt. Grand Rapids, MI, and Cambridge, U.K.: Eerdmans, 2002.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Moscow State University, Faculty of Law
Employers
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Imperial Moscow University, St. Sergius Institute
Also known as
Boris Petrovich Vysheslavtsev

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Boris Vysheslavtsev's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Boris Vysheslavtsev?

Russian philosopher (1877–1954)

When was Boris Vysheslavtsev born?

Boris Vysheslavtsev was born on 30 October 1877 in Moscow.

When did Boris Vysheslavtsev die?

Boris Vysheslavtsev died on 5 October 1954 in Geneva.

What was Boris Vysheslavtsev's occupation?

Boris Vysheslavtsev was a philosopher, writer and lawyer.

What nationality was Boris Vysheslavtsev?

Boris Vysheslavtsev was Russian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Boris Vysheslavtsev

· Wikidata: Q4129997

· DBpedia: Boris Vysheslavtsev

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Boris Vysheslavtsev. https://biography.guide/boris-vysheslavtsev/

MLA: "Boris Vysheslavtsev." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/boris-vysheslavtsev/.

Chicago: "Boris Vysheslavtsev." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/boris-vysheslavtsev/.

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