Vernadskii, Vladimir Ivanovich (1863–1945)

Vladimir Vernadskii was an earth scientist with broad scientific and philosophical interests. He made important contributions to mineralogy and crystallography, distinguished himself as one of the founders of modern geochemistry, and pioneered the new science of biogeochemistry. His key concepts of ‘living matter’, the ‘biosphere’, and the ‘noosphere’ reflect his holistic search for a natural philosophy that would integrate life, including humanity and its culture, into a unified picture of earth and cosmos. Vernadskii was the first Russian scientist to appreciate the immense implications of the discovery of radioactivity. He helped mobilize his country’s efforts to acquire atomic energy, while urging full awareness (especially among scientists) of the dangers atomic power posed for mankind. Since the 1960s, his work has been an inspiration for the environmentalist movement and ecology in the Soviet Union and its successor states. Vernadskii was also an influential historian and philosopher of science. His liberal philosophy of science is an ardent defence of the principle of freedom of thought, based on a keen appreciation of the intricate connection among science, philosophy, religion, and other forms of human culture. In his broad scientific humanism, commitment to liberal democracy and faith in human perfectibility, Vernadskii has often been compared to Andrei Sakharov.