The article is devoted to defining the criteria of philosophical knowledge. Most often, the standards of Western European philosophy are recognized as canonical criteria. Is this approach justified? On the one hand, there are approaches that claim that Russia has never developed an independent philosophy. However, social and political events of the 20th century changed the world culture, so now there is a process of redefining the content of the concept 'philosophy'. On the other hand, if philosophy should be assessed only as a rational and systematic intellectual experience, then the terminological tradition can be changed. An event of thought can have deep ontological and existential meaning, but not be philosophy. The fundamental features of the Russian type of thinking have such a meaning. The author notes that the formation of Russian thought was largely conditioned by spiritual and socio-political themes. It is hypothesised that the concept of power is an element of the connection between these themes. Here lies the key to understanding the specificity of Russian philosophy. Among other forms, the historical embodiment of the spirit is achieved in the form of state power. Harmonisation of these aspects of existence gives meaning to the cultural and historical mission of Russia. The study substantiates this hypothesis by analysing several monuments of Old Russian writing.