LOPATIN, LEV MICHAJLOVIČ. - Philosopher, born in Mosca in 1855, died there in 1920. He completed his studies at the University of Mosca (1879) and subsequently taught philosophy there. He was editor of the journal Questioni di filosofia e psicologia, published by the «Società psicologica moscovita», and until 1917 president of that same Society.
An original and independent thinker, also devoted to public activity, he had been a friend of V. Soloviev (v.) from his youth; he owed much to him, without, however, sharing all his ideas. Together with Kozlov, Askol'dov, and N. Losskij, he belongs to the neo-Leibnizian tendency in Russia (and was also influenced by Lotze and Schopenhauer). Against Kant and empiricism, he defended the necessity of metaphysics in a spiritualist sense. The structure of reality is spiritual and is revealed in the activity of our «I». The principle of the world is the personal God, free creative force. The problem of evil is resolved by denying divine omnipotence.
Principal works: Compiti positivi della filosofia (I, Mosca 1886; 2nd ed. 1911; II, there 1891); Caratteristiche filosofiche e discorsi (there 1911); Lezioni sulla storia della nuova filosofia (part 1, Berlino 1923); an important article on freedom in vol. III of the Lavori della Società psicologica moscovita.