Applicability of the Ideas of Russian Cosmism to Modern Bioethical Problems

The article deals with a preliminary analysis of the philosophical system of Russian cosmism and an assessment of the potential applicability of its ideas to modern bioethical problems. The relevance of the study is due to the need to search for axiological guidelines in the context of constantly growing capabilities of science and medicine. The article uses the term “Russian cosmism” to describe a movement in Russian philosophy that combines elements of religious and scientific worldviews with the aim of improving the human being. The most important representative of this movement was Nikolai Fyodorov, although in addition to him, a number of other Russian thinkers are also considered part. The study compares the philosophical system of Russian cosmism with the philosophical system of transhumanism. The article demonstrates that Russian cosmism and transhumanism are similar in that both of these systems are based on the idea of “active evolution”, according to which the evolution of humanity as a biological species should be subordinated to the human mind. At the same time, Russian cosmism differs significantly from transhumanism, the differences are such that they do not allow us to consider these schools of thought to be of the same nature. Nevertheless, the article shows that the similarities between them are sufficient to conclude that both of these philosophical systems can be productively applied in modern bioethical discourse. At the same time, the article shows, using the example of Nikolai Fyodorov’s project of universal resurrection and immortality, that Russian cosmism, even in isolation from its utopian projects, compared to transhumanism, has a greater potential to bring a strong ethical value system to bioethics, based on the highest value of human life and personhood. Moreover, the article shows that this value system is deeply hostile to any inhumane eugenic ideas, which makes it especially relevant in modern conditions. In the end, the article concludes that the ideas of Russian cosmism, especially their ethical component, can be of great benefit in the search for new approaches to bioethical problems and overcoming the tendency to desacralize life in modern biomedicine.