Genesis of the idea of actual infinity in Florensky’s philosophical system

Abstract

The formation of Florensky’s ideas about the idea of actual infinity is described in detail. The influence of mathematicians of Moscow University on young Florensky is considered. Special attention is paid to the role of Professor of Moscow University N. V. Bugaeva in the formation of Florensky’s ideas of discontinuous and continuous. Describes the relationship of the ideas of mathematical set theory and religious teachings of imiaslavie in the works of P. Florensky, N. Luzin and D. Egorov. The participation of P. Florensky in the movement of symbolists of the Silver age is briefly characterized. Understanding the symbol Florensky associated with the Cantor’s idea of transfinite. On this basis Florensky forms his understanding of the “new art”. The influence of Vladimir Solovyov’s philosophy of unity on the formation of Florensky’s religious and philosophical ideas is traced. Florensky understands Vladimir Solovyov’s “unity” as a complete synthesis of absolute knowledge. And such knowledge, according to Florensky, is possible only through the acceptance of the idea of absolute infinity as an absolute divine Truth. The role of Serapion (Mashkin) in the process of formation of Florensky’s worldview is especially noted. Serapion (Mashkin) considered the Cantor concept of set from the point of view of unity and Orthodox dogmatics. In the future these ideas were actively developed by Florensky. The idea of actual infinity Serapion (Mashkin) and Florensky was associated with philosophical and natural science atomism. The actual infinity was understood by them as a set of indivisible elements – atoms. The influence of the ideas of atomism and actual infinity on optics, thermodynamics and electrodynamics is considered separately. The attempt of Serapion (Mashkin) and Florensky to solve the problem of paradoxes of actual infinity through an introduction to the philosophical system of antinomies is briefly described.