Mythos and logos in Losev's absolute mythology

Vladimir L. Marchenkov

pp. 173-186

in: Studies in East European Thought 56, 2004.

Abstract

The paper analyses A.F. Losev's argument forthe identity of dialectical and mythicalthinking which forms the key part of his theoryof absolute mythology. Losev claims thatdialectical thinking is limited byphenomenological intuition. He fails torecognise, however, that this intuition itselfis a product of thinking. The same is true ofLosev's concept of `life' that is designed tolimit intellectual reflection. The mystery ofthe Absolute is, contrary to Losev's claim, nota threshold that dialectical thinking cannotcross, but it is, in fact, realised only bysuch thinking. This has a bearing on theChristian Neoplatonist doctrine of energisticsymbolism, which also plays a crucial part inLosev's philosophy of myth. Under the pressureof the Neoplatonist tradition Losev violatesthe demands of dialectical thinking in favourof myth's essential mysticism. And yet, becauseof the dialectical relation between rationalismand mysticism, Losev's attempt was not afailure, but a valuable contribution to thetask of illuminating this relation.