This paper consists of an exposition of the basic theses of the theory of knowledge of contemporary Soviet philosophy, plus a few critical comments of a general nature. Marxism-Leninism, the theory of Communism, is made up of philosophy, political economy and scientific socialism. The philosophy is, in turn, divided into dialectical materialism and historical materialism. Dialectical materialism, or philosophy properly so-called, is currently defined as the "science on the most general laws of nature, society and human thought." Historical materialism is the laws of dialectical materialism as applied to the analysis of society and history. Dialectical materialism generally treats of three main topics, matter, the dialectic, and thought. It is with the last of these that we will be concerned here.²