Pavel Florensky: a biography

This man was an outstanding mathematician, philosopher, theologian, critic, writer, engineer, linguist, and thinker on a national scale. Fate has prepared him international fame and tragic fate. After he left the works, born of his powerful mind. The name of this person ― Florensky Pavel Alexandrovich.

Early years of the future scientist

21 Jan 1882 at engineer Alexander Florensky and his wife Olga Pavlovna was born a son, who was named Paul. The family lived in Yevlakh village of Yelizavetpol province. Now it is the territory of Azerbaijan. In addition to his family later will appear five children.

Reminiscing about his early years, Pavel Florensky writes that from childhood he had the inclination to notice and analyze all unusual, going beyond everyday life. All he was inclined to see the hidden manifestations of "spirituality of life and of immortality”. Regarding the latter, the very thought of it was perceived as something natural and not subject to doubt. By his own admission scientist, that children's observations subsequently formed the basis of his religious and philosophical beliefs.

The University

After Graduating with a gold medal by the gymnasium in Tiflis, seventeen-year-old Pavel Florensky went to Moscow and became the student of the physico-mathematical faculty of Moscow University. In student's years it is in close contact with representatives of the advanced Russian youth of those years. Among his friends-Balmont, Bryusov, Z. Gippius, A. Blok and others, whose names entered the history of Russian culture.

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But upon graduation he felt a distinct lack of knowledge from the University. What further plans Florensky? Paul understood that for him to narrow the scope of natural Sciences. Established in his mind the picture of the Universe was beyond rational explanation. In search of new truths he entered the Theological Academy.

Institute

In the walls of the Trinity Sergius Lavra his ideas of synthesis of natural Sciences with religious tenets. In his mind, the secular culture, the Church and art should be integrated. After graduating from the Academy in 1914, Florensky Pavel Alexandrovich was awarded the title of master of theology.

Once in the Academy he was ordained to the priesthood. Here in Sergiyev Posad, until 1921, and carried their pastoral Ministry, the young priest father Pavel Florensky. The circle of his occupations during the period of study was very broad. At the Academy he also studied and lectured, and lectured, and edited academic journal.

Early years after the revolution

The Revolution was a severe shock. By his own admission, he accepted it as the Apocalypse. Political beliefs are shared by Pavel Florensky, can be called a theocratic monarchy. He set out in detail at the end of his life in the work to be written in camp shortly before his death.

In the first years after the revolution its main activity is the study of art. Pavel Florensky put a lot of effort to rescue the historical and artistic heritage of the monastery. He had to convince poorly educated representatives of the new government of the need to preserve many historical monuments.

Government institutions

With deep knowledge in technical Sciences obtained at the University, Pavel Florensky became a Professor at the VKHUTEMAS and at the same time participated in developing the GOELRO plan. During the twenties, he wrote a number of major scientific papers. In this work he was assisted by Trotsky, which later played in the life of Florensky fatal role.

Despite repeatedly presented with the opportunity to leave Russia, Pavel followed the example of many representatives of the Russian intelligentsia, left the country. He was one of the first who tried to combine Church service and cooperation with Soviet institutions.

The Arrest and imprisonment

A Turning point in his life came in 1928. The scientist was exiled to Nizhny Novgorod, but soon returned to Moscow. By the early thirties is the period of persecution of the scientist in Soviet publications. In February 1933 he was arrested and after five months, the decision of the court sentenced to ten years imprisonment on the infamous fifty-eighth article.

The Place where he was to serve a sentence, was assigned to a camp in Eastern Siberia, named as if in mockery of the prisoners “Free”. Here, behind barbed wire, was created the scientific management Department Bulaga. Worked in it, the scientists who find themselves in prison, like thousands of other Soviet people, in this ruthless era of Stalinist repression. With them he conducted scientific work and the prisoner Florensky Pavel.

In February 1934 he was transferred to another camp, located in Skovorodino. Here was located the permafrost station where he conducted scientific work on the study of permafrost. Taking part in them, Pavel has written several scientific papers in whichaddressed issues related to construction on permafrost.

The End of the life of a scientist

In August 1934, Florensky was suddenly placed in the camp prison, and a month later I was escorted to the Solovki camp. And here he was engaged in scientific work. Exploring the process of extraction of iodine from seaweed, the scientist took more than a dozen patented scientific discoveries. In November 1937 by the decision of the Special Troika of the NKVD Florensky was sentenced to death.

The Exact date of death unknown. Date 15 Dec 1943 specified in the notice sent to the relatives, was false. This was buried an outstanding figure of Russian science, which has made an invaluable contribution to the field of knowledge, Levashova wasteland near Leningrad, in a mass unmarked grave. In one of his last letters he wrote bitterly that the truth is that for all that give the world good, waiting for retribution in the form of suffering and persecution.

Pavel Florensky, whose biography is very similar to the biographies of many Russian figures of science and culture of the time, was posthumously rehabilitated. And fifty years after his death saw the light of the recent book the scientist. In it, he reflected on the state system for future years.