P.YA. CHAADAYEV: FROM MYTHOLOGICAL IMAGE TO REAL PHIGURE

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 Chaadayev’s 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 Chaadayev’s polemics with Slavophiles, which promoted the evolution of his ideas. The author shows the discrepancy of Chaadayev’s understanding of Christianity, the heterodoxy of his views, special understanding of eschatology, philosophy of history, etc.