BETWEEN THE POWER OF CHANCE AND REASON (TO THE PROBLEM OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY BY ALEXANDER HERZEN)

Blokhin Vladimir Vladimirovich, Georgieva Natalya Georgievna, Malshakova Polina Alexandrovna

The article examines the controversial issue of Alexander Herzen's scientific worldview. An analysis of Herzen's scientific journalism shows that positivism was the defining basis of his philosophy of history. By developing a scientific worldview, he theoretically substantiated his social ideal. Hegelianism was adopted by Herzen only formally and externally. Nevertheless, Herzen, relying on the idea of historical reason, clearly realized the limitations of any social projects. Since history is created and directed by a person who has freedom and morally autonomous consciousness, the results of human historical creativity are not predetermined. Awareness of this fact gave rise to historical pessimism in Herzen as a thinker. Herzen also applied pessimism to the ideals of socialism, the historical embodiment of which history did not guarantee.

Keywords:Hegelianism, positivism, chance, laws of history, progress, historical reason.