WAY OF MAKING FRIENDS WITH DEATH IN THE LAST NOTES BY GERONTI KIKODZE
Abstract
Geronti Kikodze. Georgian publicist and public figure of 20th century passed away on 1 August 1960. His last notes, dated with the year of his death attracted our attention. In particular: “Arabesques”, “Dialogue with Self”, “Fear of Death” and “Dream Silhouettes”. The mentioned notes are perceived as the philosophical reflections of preparation for death, conciliation with death. The author studied at the faculty of philosophy of Leipzig University and capturing of such ideas as eternity of life and death, laws of the universe, Kantian moral theories and love, in the end of his life, remind us that being a philosopher requires not only involvement into the active sociopolitical issues but also, philosophically charged spirit permanently deals with such eternal, unchangeable issues that were expressed in his last notes.
In the mentioned texts, the author as though finally answers the questions facing by the mankind that are unsolvable at the first glance. For him, creativity is unassailable, eternal, timeless ability that is eternally maintained by the individual, death transforms from the horrible into the warmest, closest phenomenon that is accompanied with the sense of love. For the author, in the last period of his life, the spiritual knowledge gained from the experience that is mental as well, is apparent and confirmed. This is the knowledge that, in antique and Christian thinking traditions was formed as the firmest, unshakeable but still, permanently reviewable and revivable, here and now, thinking structure, logical constructions.
The issues considered by Geronti Kikodze in the last period of his life, have something common, this is remembrance. To make certain conclusions, he needs to remember, remember the events, feelings and a woman. For him, each of them is firmness of vital significance and this sense of firmness covers the readers as well, because remembrance is as vital as natural and turns individual to the new milestones. And finally, it is transformed into the new modus of firm thinking tradition. And in this most precise point, it becomes possible, for the contemporary tired individual of 21st century, to capture again the main, real, undoubtable issues and on this way, Geronti Kikodze’s notes become the most dedicated guide.
Keywords: Geronti Kikodze, way, death, culture, tradition, Georgia.
