Publication Details

Abstract

In his philosophy P. A. Florensky examines the definition of truth as well as the notion of God. Florensky understands truth as an existential relationship with a deeper meaning based on the dialogue with personal God. According to Florensky technical thinking is determined by the world of objects. The real understanding, however, is not the knowledge of the world of objects. Attempts at absolutizing of relative matters result in forgetting the Truth. Human being cannot be defined in terms of reasoning. Man can only be understood by means of intuition and revelation through symbols. The theory of understanding thus becomes a question of what means are to be used in the interpretation of symbols. A symbol is a result of the synergic interplay of the energies of being. Symbolic understanding is ontological: a symbol is a matter of being. Replacing an ontological statement by pragmatic language suggests a functionalist understanding of man, which is simplistic and linked with the discourse of mass culture.