Mose Gogiberidze – From Guria to a Great Philosopher

Abstract

Professor Mose Gogiberidze is one of the foremost representatives of the Georgian philosophical school. He was born in 1897 in the village of Kvenobani, in the Chokhatauri district of Guria. He received his initial education at the Ozurgeti City School and later continued his studies in Germany, at the universities of Berlin and Marburg. There, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation on the topic: „The Theory of Solomon Maimon’s Thought in Relation to Kantian Philosophy and the Subsequent Development of Logical Idealism“. His dissertation was highly significant, critically addressing idealism, particularly opposing the traditional theories of the Marburg School and logical idealism.
In 1922, having completed his education in Germany, Professor Gogiberidze returned to Georgia and began teaching at the newly established university, where he continued his work until his death, leaving a lasting impact on the development of philosophy in Georgia, particularly in the area of dialectics of nature. In addition, he provided philosophical education at various higher institutions and also delivered lectures in Kutaisi.
One notable aspect of Mose Gogiberidze’s philosophical work is that he was the first to write the history of philosophy in the Georgian language, particularly the historical sections. He paid careful attention to philosophical issues directly connected to the development of Georgian philosophical thought and Georgian culture more broadly. Special emphasis is given to the classical period of Georgian philosophy, associated with the work of Ioane Petritsi, including the philosophical problems of the Rustaveli era.
Mose Gogiberidze is recognized as one of the greatest Georgian thinkers. His philosophical works continue to be a subject of study and discussion among subsequent generations of philosophers. In 1997, Tbilisi State University commemorated the centenary of his birth with extensive celebrations.