Abstract

The objective of the article is to show a great significance of N.M. Karamzin as a pioneer in the field of personality. Using methods of comparative analysis, the author points out that in the 17th century European philosophy attempted to express the idea of man’s high measure but there were no exact word to designate this idea. How can we judge that a particular individual, presenting himself as different persons, passing through a series of all possible transformations, still remains himself? What can guarantee to us that it is the same individual? How is the personal innermost kernel bound? If each individual becomes mature, acquires social roles, changes his views throughout his life time, then every attempt to correct identity seems impossible. The English philosopher J. Locke carefully thought out many variants of this mystery. But he did not find, in our view, an answer to the question what it is that permits an individual to ensure his integrity as a unique human being. Nevertheless, his merit is in advancing the word «personality». In Russian philosophy and literature there was no analogue. It was N.M. Karamzin who introduced his analogue of this phenomenon. But he coined it using a Russian word «lik (face, image)». Therefore, an individual who expresses a particular fullness of his existence was called «lichnost’». Many authors introduced new words into the Russian language. N.M. Karamzin’s significance was that he created a philosophical tradition. It might be called personalistic. It is related to philosophical comprehension of such a phenomenon as «lichnost’» (personality). The article shows how Russian philosophers, having received the appropriate word at their disposal, tried to define also the signs that correlate with personality. Karamzin’s new word needed assimilation, it required facetting and conceptual content.