Philosopher Mamardashvili Merab (1930-1990) – Doctor of Philosophy, professor (1972), born in Gori, Georgia. In 1954 he graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University. He was the Consulting Editor of magazines Voprosi Filosofiy (Issues of Philosophy, 1957-1961) and Problemi Mira I Sotsializma (Problems of Peace And Socialism, 1961-1966).
In 1968-1987 he held the position of Associate Editor-in-Chief of scientific magazine Voprosi Filosofiy. In 1974-1980 Merab Mamardashvili became Professor of Moscow State University and Senior Research Fellow of Moscow Institute of Philosophy of the Academy of Science of Russia. In 1987-1990 he was the Senior research fellow of the Institute of Philosophy, Academy of Sciences of Georgia; at the same time Merab Mamardashvili was the Professor of Tbilisi State University.
Despite the ideological limitations, Merab Mamardashvili endeavored to contribute to the development of philosophic and scientific thought. He based his researches on the analysis of classic philosophic works of Descartes and Kant as well as of a well-known novel by M. Proust in Search of Lost Time. The ideas highlighted in the series of his lectures which were very popular among liberal Russians, were incorporated in his scientific works.
From 1980s Merab Mamardashvili actively participated in the National Liberation Movement of Georgia. He did his best to reconcile the ideals of national liberation with universal values. In 2001 Merab Mamardashvili’s memorial was unveiled in Tbilisi, on Rustaveli Avenue. Its author is the famous Russian sculptor E. Neizvestny.
Merab Mamardashvili died in Tbilisi.