Department of Ancient and Mediaeval Philosophy and Science

 Head of the Department – Valery V. Petroff, DSc in Philosophy, Chief Research Fellow

Department's History

The Department is a division of the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It was established in 1988 as «Department for Historical Types of Rationality» by Piama Gaidenko, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The main directions of research at that period were philosophical issues of natural science, philosophy and culture. From 2000 to 2011 the division finctioned as «Department for Philosophical Problems of the History of Science». The subjects of research were expanded to include study of philosophical and religious aspects of science, philosophy of education. In 2011 the division was transformed into «Department for Ancient and Mediaeval Philosophy and Science», its Head became Valery V. Petroff, DSc. In-depth study of philosophical, theological, historical, intellectual and cultural issues of Antiquity and the Middle Ages, based on the philological analysis of the original texts was added to the existing fields of research.

Directions of Research

• Philosophical and scientific ideas and concepts of Antiquity and the Middle Ages, which influenced the philosophy, science and culture of later periods.  

• The influence of ancient and medieval doctrines on the representations of the world in science (ancient, medieval, modern), religion (Christian and post-Christian authors), myth (ancient epic and philosophy), art (literature and art).  

• Ontology and anthropology of Neoplatonism.  

• Ethical aspects of ancient concepts of the good and altruism in ancient philosophical thought in comparison with the New European tradition. 

Fellows

• Valery Petroff, DSc in Philosophy, Docent, Head of the Department and Main Research Fellow

• Andrey Seregin, PhD in Philology, Senior Research Fellow

• Nadezhda Volkova, PhD in Philosophy, Deputy Head of the Department, Senior Research Fellow

Associate Fellows

• Andrey Rossius, DSc in Philology, Associated Chief Research Fellow

• Maria Varlamova, PhD in Philosophy, Associated Research Fellow

Selected Publications

Department is home to the Center for Ancient and Mediaeval Philosophy and Science (CAMPaS). Established in 2004, CAMPaS conducts interdisciplinary research in philosophy, science, intellectual history and culture, bringing together scholars from various disciplinary areas, institutions and countries.

The department is collaborating with the academic publishing house Aquilo Press.

A monthly seminar Philosophy and Theology of Antiquity and the Middle Ages is held at the CAMPaS.

CAMPaS in Telegram

Department's Address:

Department for Ancient and Mediaeval Philosophy and Science

Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Goncharnaya 12/1, Moscow, 109240, Russian Federation

Тел.: +7 (495) 697-58-55

e-mail: CAMPaS.IPh@gmail.com