April 7, 1879
A philosopher was born Gustav ShpetThe founder of Russian hermeneutics (a method of interpreting literary texts). He coined the term "semiotics" in Russian. A polyglot who knew 17 languages.
Language is, as it were, an external manifestation of the spirit of peoples - their language is their spirit, and their spirit is their language
Grew up in KyivHis mother was from an impoverished family of Polish nobles. His father, a Hungarian officer, fled before his son was born. His mother earned her living as a seamstress, and they lived in poverty.
In 1898, he entered the university's physics and mathematics department, but was soon expelled and exiled from Kyiv for possessing revolutionary proclamations. Upon his return, he tried again, enrolling in the history and philology department.
Participated in the philosopher's "psychological seminary" ChelpanovaHe became obsessed with the idea of "purifying" philosophy from psychologism—he saw it as knowledge built on rigorous logical proofs. He considered the aphoristic manner of presenting philosophical ideas a "weakness of thought."
He taught in Kyiv gymnasiums, and among his students was Anna Gorenko (Akhmatova).
In 1907 he moved to MoscowHe gave lectures. In 1912, he himself attended the philosopher's lectures. Husserl in phenomenology in Germany. Inspired by this, he wrote the work "Phenomenon and Meaning." He defended his dissertation on "History as a Problem of Logic." In 1918, he became a professor at Moscow University.
Communism has revealed a side of itself it had so carefully concealed until now. It needs only technology, medicine, and government officials; it has no need for science, spirit, or thought... Communism's alignment with the plebs was foreseen, but the complete and blatant destruction of thought has only now been revealed.
He was on the passenger list of the "philosophers' ship," but never left Russia. He founded the Institute of Scientific Philosophy, but was soon dismissed. He was vice president of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences until its liquidation. He worked for Stanislavsky Vice-Rector at the Academy of Higher Acting.
In 1935, he was arrested—as part of the fight against "fascism"—along with the editorial board of the German-Russian dictionary. He was exiled to Siberia. In 1937, Tomsk arrested again, on a fabricated case of a “cadet-monarchist rebel organization.”
After 19 days they shot him.