Toward a history of spiritual impostures

Abstract

The present article is a reply to Vladimir Kantor's book "Downfall of the Idols, or Overcoming the Temptations: the Making of the Space of Philosophy in Russia". Following the framework set by Kantor, the author expounds his own reflections on the role of myth in the historical and cultural realities of the Modern age, in particular, in 20th century. He analyzes the positive and negative aspects of myth-making characteristic of the religious and ideological types of consciousness.