Илюзиите в антиутопията „Ние“ на Евгений Замятин, или критика на чистия разум

The article analyzes the illusions in Yevgeny Zamyatin’s dystopian novel “We” in relation to Kant’s transcendental dialectic, which explores the ideas of pure reason. Through an intertextual approach and comparative analysis methods, the study traces the connection between the philosophical work and the fictional world of the 20th-century novel through the lens of the four antinomies of pure reason. The research reveals multiple allusions and reminiscences to transcendental illusions in “The Critique of Pure Reason,” manifested in the artistic reinterpretation of Kant’s philosophical concepts. The analysis of antinomies uncovers fundamental oppositions in the novel between limitation and infinity, individuality and collectivity, freedom and submission, faith and denial. The results demonstrate that the novel transcends traditional dystopian criticism, evolving into a complex philosophical reflection on the dangers of reason’s absolutization. The study establishes how the artistic reimagining of Kantian philosophical concepts enables Zamyatin to problematize the idea of reason as the supreme criterion for human perfection. The research findings reveal that through examining the implicit relationship between the four pure reason antinomies and the novel’s narrative structure, Zamyatin creates a sophisticated critique of rational absolutism. This interpretation gains particular relevance in the context of contemporary technological progress and the drive toward rationalization of human life at the expense of emotionality and creative imagination.