PHILOSOPHERS from Ukraine

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Ukrainian Philosophers of all time. This list of famous Ukrainian Philosophers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Ukrainian Philosophers.

1. Nikolai Berdyaev (1874 - 1948)

With an HPI of 67.03, Nikolai Berdyaev is the most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 54 different languages on wikipedia.

Nikolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev (; Russian: Никола́й Алекса́ндрович Бердя́ев; 18 March [O.S. 6 March] 1874 – 24 March 1948) was a Russian philosopher, theologian, and Christian existentialist who emphasized the existential spiritual significance of human freedom and the human person. Alternative historical spellings of his surname in English include "Berdiaev" and "Berdiaeff", and of his given name "Nicolas" and "Nicholas".

2. Anacharsis (-700 - -600)

With an HPI of 65.83, Anacharsis is the 2nd most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 33 different languages.

Anacharsis (; Ancient Greek: Ἀνάχαρσις, romanized: Anakharsis, Russian: Анахарсис) was a Scythian prince and philosopher of uncertain historicity who lived in the 6th century BC.

3. Lev Shestov (1866 - 1938)

With an HPI of 63.63, Lev Shestov is the 3rd most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 35 different languages.

Lev Isaakovich Shestov (Russian: Лев Исаакович Шестов; 31 January [O.S. 13 February] 1866 – 19 November 1938; born Yeguda Lev Shvartsman) was a Jewish-Russian existentialist and religious philosopher. He is best known for his critiques of both philosophic rationalism and positivism. His work advocated a movement beyond reason and metaphysics, arguing that these are incapable of conclusively establishing truth about ultimate problems, including the nature of God or existence. Contemporary scholars have associated his work with the label "anti-philosophy." Shestov wrote extensively on philosophers such as Nietzsche and Kierkegaard, as well as Russian writers such as Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov. His published books include Apotheosis of Groundlessness (1905) and his magnum opus Athens and Jerusalem (1930–37). After emigrating to France in 1921, he befriended and influenced thinkers such as Edmund Husserl, Benjamin Fondane, Rachel Bespaloff, and Georges Bataille. He lived in Paris until his death in 1938.

4. Bion of Borysthenes (-325 - -246)

With an HPI of 58.49, Bion of Borysthenes is the 4th most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Bion of Borysthenes (Greek: Βίων Βορυσθενίτης, gen.: Βίωνος; c. 325 – c. 250 BC) was a Greek philosopher. After being sold into slavery, and then released, he moved to Athens, where he studied in almost every school of philosophy. It is, however, for his Cynic-style diatribes that he is chiefly remembered. He satirized the foolishness of people, attacked religion, and eulogized philosophy.

5. Zalmoxis (b. -713)

With an HPI of 56.43, Zalmoxis is the 5th most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Zalmoxis (‹See Tfd›Greek: Ζάλμοξις) also known as Salmoxis (Σάλμοξις), Zalmoxes (Ζάλμοξες), Zamolxis (Ζάμολξις), Samolxis (Σάμολξις), Zamolxes (Ζάμολξες), or Zamolxe (Ζάμολξε) is a divinity of the Getae and Dacians (a people of the lower Danube), mentioned by Herodotus in his Histories Book IV, 93–96, written before 425 BC. Said to have been so called from the bear's skin (ζάλμος) in which he was clothed as soon as he was born. According to Jordanes' Getica, he was a learned philosopher, before whom two other learned men existed, by the names of Zeuta and Deceneus.

6. Theophan Prokopovich (1681 - 1736)

With an HPI of 56.42, Theophan Prokopovich is the 6th most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Theophan or Feofan Prokopovich (Russian: Феофан Прокопович; Ukrainian: Феофан Прокопович, romanized: Feofan Prokopovych; 18 June [O.S. 8 June] 1681 – 19 September [O.S. 8 September] 1736) was a Russian Orthodox bishop, theologian, pietist, writer, poet, mathematician, astronomer, pedagogue and philosopher of Ukrainian origin. He was the rector of the Academia Mohileana in Kiev (1711–1716), the bishop of Pskov (1718–1725), and the archbishop of Novgorod (1725–1736). Prokopovich elaborated upon and implemented Peter the Great's reform of the Russian Orthodox Church; he served as the first vice-president of the Most Holy Synod from 1721, which replaced the office of the patriarch. Prokopovich also wrote many religious verses and some of the most enduring sermons in the Russian language.

7. Alexius Meinong (1853 - 1920)

With an HPI of 55.78, Alexius Meinong is the 7th most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Alexius Meinong Ritter von Handschuchsheim (17 July 1853 – 27 November 1920) was an Austrian philosopher, a realist known for his unique ontology and theory of objects. He also made contributions to philosophy of mind and theory of value.: 1–3 

8. Mykhailo Drahomanov (1841 - 1895)

With an HPI of 55.60, Mykhailo Drahomanov is the 8th most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Mykhailo Petrovych Drahomanov (Ukrainian: Михайло Петрович Драгоманов; 18 September 1841 – 2 July 1895) was a Ukrainian intellectual and public figure. As an academic, Drahomanov was an economist, historian, philosopher, and ethnographer, while as a public intellectual he was a political theorist with socialist leanings, perhaps best known as one of the first proponents of Ukrainian autonomism. For Drahomanov, ethnographic studies had a deep influence on his political ideas, and his politics in turn motivated study of particular areas of Ukrainian folk literature.

9. Yuriy Drohobych (1450 - 1494)

With an HPI of 54.11, Yuriy Drohobych is the 9th most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Yuriy Drohobych or Yuriy Kotermak (1450 – 4 February 1494) was a Ruthenian philosopher, astronomer, writer, medical doctor, rector of the University of Bologna, and professor of Kraków Academy, and the first publisher of a Church Slavonic printed text. He is the author of Iudicium Pronosticon Anni 1483 Currentis.

10. Ber Borochov (1881 - 1917)

With an HPI of 53.09, Ber Borochov is the 10th most famous Ukrainian Philosopher.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Dov Ber Borochov (Russian: Дов-Бер Борохов; 3 July 1881 – 17 December 1917) was a Marxist Zionist and one of the founders of the Labor Zionist movement. He was also a pioneer in the study of the Yiddish language.