Slave Mentality and Free Thought in the Philosophy of Nicolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev

Slave Mentality and Free Thought in the Philosophy of Nicolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev

Authors

  • Fx.m Tran Van Cuong, S.J. Theology at Saint Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54855/csl.26617
Citations

Keywords:

Nicolai Berdyaev, Slave Thinking, Free Thinking, Objectification, Personality (Lichnost)

Abstract

This article examines two contrasting modes of thought in the philosophy of Nicolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev: slave mentality and free thought. According to Berdyaev, human beings in the natural world are easily objectified and become dependent on external values such as society, religion, power, the crowd, and even the egoistic self. This condition causes individuals to lose their subjectivity, creativity, and inner freedom. By contrast, free thought belongs to the spiritual world, where human beings return to the depth of the inner self, overcome external impositions, and exist as unique personal beings. The article also discusses the influences of Kant, Schopenhauer, and Boehme, while comparing Berdyaev with Hegel to clarify the metaphysical foundation of freedom. It argues that liberation from slave mentality is a continuous journey toward the realization of freedom, personal dignity, and authentic human existence.

Author Biography

  • Fx.m Tran Van Cuong, S.J., Theology at Saint Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate, Vietnam

    Fx.m Tran Van Cuong, a brother of the Society of Jesus, Vietnam, is a student of Theology at Saint Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate, Vietnam

References

Tài liệu chính

Berdyaev, Nicolai. 2017. Con người trong thế giới tinh thần. Traducido por Nguyễn Văn Trọng. Nxb Tri Thức.

Berdyaev, Nicolas. 1951. Dream and Reality - [DR]. Traducido por Katherine Lampert. New York: Macmillan.

—. 1935. Freedom and the Spirit - [FS]. Traducido por Oliver Fielding Clarke. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

—. 1938. Solitude and Society - [SS]. Traducido por George Reavey. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

—. 1939. Spirit and Reality. Traducido por George Reavey. London: Bles.

—. 1952. The Beginning and the End - [BE]. Traducido por R.M. French. New York: Harper.

—. 1945. The Destiny of Man - [DM]. Traducido por Natalie Duddington. London: Bles.

—. 1955. The Meaning of the Creative Act. Traducido por Donald A. Lowrie. New York: Harper.

—. 1953. Truth and Revelation - [TR]. Traducido por R.M. French. New York: Harper.

Tài liệu khác

1. Vincent J. McNamara, (1960). Some basic notions of the Personalism of Nicolai Berdyaev. Volume 16, Numéro 2, 1960, p. 278–302. University Laval.

2. James Wayne Dye. Nikolai Berdyaev and his ideas on the fundamental nature of all entities. Northern Illinois University.

3. Raul-Ovidiu Bodea, (2019). Nikolai Berdyaev’s dialectics of freedom: in search for spiritual freedom. Article in Open Theology.

4. Susan Radcliff Nichols, (1954). Berdyaev’s social Philosophy in the light of his concept of freedom. Boston University.

Published

02-05-2026

How to Cite

Tran, V. C. (2026). Slave Mentality and Free Thought in the Philosophy of Nicolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev. Catholic Science & Life, 6(1), 176-206. https://doi.org/10.54855/csl.26617