Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution
higher education
"Vladimir State University
named after Alexander Grigorievich and Nikolai Grigorievich
Stoletovs"
(VlSU)
College of Innovative Technology and Entrepreneurship
Report on the discipline Philosophy
on the topic: "Herzen Alexander Ivanovich"
Completed:
student group ISPsp-119
Pushpurs A.Yu.
Accepted:
teacher
Zubkov S. A
Vladimir, 2021
Biography:
Alexander Ivanovich Herzen (1812-1870) - Russian thinker, author of the theory of
"peasant socialism" ("Russian socialism"). He was born in Moscow and was the
illegitimate son of a wealthy Russian landowner, Ivan Alekseevich Yakovlev, and
a German woman, Henrietta Louise Haag. Alexander did not have the right to bear
his father's surname, so he was given a surname derived from the German word
Herz - heart.
In 1831 he was carried away by the theories of Western European utopian
socialism, the teachings of Saint-Simon, Fourier, Lamennet.
In the first half of the 40s. A.I. Herzen actively collaborates in the press, publishing
scientific articles and literary works. Gradually, however, his views become more
and more radical.
In 1847 A.I. Herzen goes abroad. The next two years become a turning point in his
life. Disappointment in the revolutionary potential of Europe, longing for the
Motherland, personal turmoil caused him during this period the most severe mental
crisis, which ended in a radical change in worldview positions. Alexander
Ivanovich comes to the idea of a special place and role of Russia in the process of
historical development - in the direction of creating a socialist society.
In the early 50s. Alexander Ivanovich creates the "Free Russian Printing House" in
London and acts with harsh criticism of the Nikolaev regime. At the end of June
1853, the first proclamation “St. George's Day! St. George's Day! Then "Baptized
Property" was published as a separate pamphlet. A.I. Herzen is engaged in
establishing channels for the transfer of literature to Russia. Gradually, he began to
have employees who sent materials to London and helped in writing
proclamations. At the same time, Alexander Ivanovich is actively published in the
Western European press. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, his largest works
appeared devoted to substantiating the theory of "peasant socialism": "Russia"
(1849), "On the development of revolutionary ideas in Russia", "Russian people
and socialism" (1851). .), "The Old World and Russia" (1854). In the early 50s.
A.I. Herzen is becoming a major, significant ideological force capable of exerting a
significant influence not only on the ever-increasing circle of Russian emigrants
abroad, but also on public opinion in Russia itself. Along with the growth of
Herzen's prestige, the influence of the ideas of socialism he preached increased.
The peak of A.I. Herzen falls on the second half of the 50s. XIX century. During
the years of the preparation of the peasant reform in Russia, the Kolokol magazine
founded by him abroad was read not only by the democratic intelligentsia, but also
by high-ranking government officials. His critics are afraid like fire. Copies of
"The Bell" appear even on the desktop of Emperor Alexander II.
However, in the early 60s. Herzen's popularity plummets. Alexander Ivanovich
supported the Polish uprising of 1863-1864. and Russian society did not forgive
him for this. Herzen is gradually losing his influence in the circles of the Russian
emigration as well. In the second half of the 60s. XIX century, he draws close to
the figures of the First International, his journalism is addressed mainly to the
Western European reader.
A.I. died. Herzen January 21, 1870 in Paris. Thousands of people accompanied
him on his last journey. Tribute to the Russian thinker was paid by many
representatives of the European democratic and socialist movement. In 1875, a
statue was erected on his grave according to the design of the sculptor Zabello. At
present, both in our country and in Western Europe, a respectful attitude towards
A.I. Herzen as one of the original and original Russian thinkers of the 19th century.
Philosophy:
For A.I. Herzen as a philosopher is characterized by the desire to put into practice
his own philosophical constructions. Therefore, for him, in the first place was not
so much theoretical philosophy as "the philosophy of action." It is no coincidence
that one of the philosophical terms that is constantly encountered in the works of
Herzen was the concept of "enactment", "enactment" (however, this term did not
take root in Russian philosophy). Precisely because Herzen perceived philosophy,
first of all, as a methodology of practical action, his own philosophical views were
changeable throughout his life, and they changed depending on his assessment of
the actual state of affairs and, first of all, depending on political situation.
In the development of philosophical views of A.I. Herzen can be divided into
several stages. In his youth (until the 30s of the 19th century), he was fond of the
ideas of creating a just society, "Voltairianism", the socialist theories of SaintSimon, the ideas of a free person, Christian ideals also played a significant role.
Actually, it was during this period of the development of Herzen's worldview that
the main basis was laid - the perception of philosophy not only as a theoretical
science, but also as a "philosophy of action", for it was philosophy that was to
become the scientific basis for developing the ideals of a future just society.
The next period of philosophical creativity of A.I. Herzen fell on the 30s - 40s.
XIX century. During these years, he seriously studied the philosophy of Hegel. He
is close to Hegelian dialectics, and it is no coincidence that in his article "On
Amateurism in Science" Herzen writes:
“Substance attracts to manifestation, the infinite to the finite ... In the eternal
movement, in which all things are carried away, truth lives ... in this is the
universal dialectical beating of the pulse of life.”
Herzen recognizes that a certain logic (“panlogism”) dominates in history,
according to which human history moves towards a certain goal, and historical
chance is completely subordinated to historical regularity.
However, even during this period, Herzen can hardly be considered a true
Hegelian. This is clearly seen in the way Herzen perceives the philosophy of nature
- in this respect he is closer to Schelling than to Hegel. In Letters on the Study of
Nature, Herzen develops the idea of the need for a union of philosophy and natural
science, tries to derive thinking and logic directly from the development of nature.
According to the Russian thinker, nature has its own patterns of development,
different from the "dialectics of pure reason":
"Life has its own embryogeny, which does not coincide with the dialectic of pure
reason."
"The understanding of man is not outside of nature, but is the understanding of
nature about itself."
On the whole, Herzen's natural-philosophical searches are carried out in the
direction of the search for the material unity of nature.
In the socio-political views of this period, Herzen is dominated by the idealization
of the West as an example for Russia. The ideas of the need for the development of
an individual personality, the preaching of individualism, the "unlimited freedom"
of the individual, are a characteristic feature of Herzen's works, in which one can
find a real chanting of the human personality:
"All the aspirations and efforts of nature are completed by man, they strive for
him, they fall into him, like into the ocean."
“Personality is the pinnacle of the historical world. Everything adjoins it,
everything lives by it.
Herzen especially idealizes the democratic structure. At the same time, democracy,
a “republic”, for Herzen is not just an ideal of a political system, but precisely a
moral ideal of the existence of mankind, because under a republican system,
according to the Russian thinker, all the abilities of every human personality can be
revealed.
A new stage in the philosophical development of A.I. Herzen begins in the first
years of his life abroad - con. 40s - early. 50s XIX century. Faced with the realities
of Western European life, the Russian thinker becomes disillusioned with his
former ideals. He is convinced that in the Western European countries there is no
"triumph of the individual", but the "triumph of the merchant" prevails; there is no
true freedom of the individual. Moreover, it turns out that Western democracy
leads to the loss of human individuality; and, most importantly, the Western
democratic system does not ensure the moral progress of the individual. These
discoveries were a real tragedy for Herzen, and it was no coincidence that he said
that during these years he was "on the verge of moral death."
Disappointment in socio-political ideals led to disappointment in Hegelian
philosophy, especially in its panlogism. Back in the early 40s. Herzen encountered
thoughts that not necessity, but chance, has true fatal power.
This idea - the dominance of chance - became even stronger after Herzen's
emigration from Russia. In the book Past and Thoughts, he writes:
“Enough we marveled at the abstract wisdom of nature and historical
development; it's time to guess that in nature and history there is a lot of
accidental, stupid, unsuccessful, confused.
Thus, the Hegelian panlogism in Herzen's worldview is being replaced by the idea
of alogism - the denial of logic in history and the recognition of the reign of
chance. He comes to the conclusion that "history has no purpose", "goes nowhere":
"Neither nature nor history leads anywhere, and therefore they are ready to go
wherever they are directed, if possible."
“There is no future, it is formed by a combination of thousands of conditions,
necessary and random, but the human will ... History improvises ... it takes
advantage of every chance, knocks at once on thousands of gates ... "
The only support capable of giving meaning to such a chaos of chance that reigns
in the world is the human person. In From the Other Shore, Herzen wrote:
“It is possible to some extent to stop the fulfillment of destinies: history does not
have that strict, unchanging destiny that philosophers preach about; the formula of
its development includes many changeable principles, - firstly, personal will and
power ... "
“I do not advise fighting with the world, but I advise you to start an original
independent life, which could find salvation in itself even when the whole world
surrounding us would perish.”
From such a worldview, Herzen formed the philosophy of "nihilism", by which
Herzen understands "the most perfect freedom":
"Nihilism is a science without dogmas, unconditional resignation to experience
and meek acceptance of all consequences."
Herzenian nihilism is the rejection of all logic and all metaphysics. But nihilism is
also a philosophy of unbelief. That is why in these years Herzen comes to the
denial of God and atheism.
However, Herzen's unbelief was peculiar. The fact is that Herzen was inherent in a
certain religiosity, because Herzen replaced faith in God with faith in a "bright
future", in a "social ideal", in a dream. Historical alogism and philosophical
nihilism were supplemented by Herzen with the category of "possibility". It was on
this illogical belief in the "possible" that Herzen built his famous theory of
"Russian (peasant) socialism."
As early as 1848, Herzen wrote about "the need to save something of one's own
from the whirlwind of chance." Expanding this idea to socio-political issues, he
created the theory of "Russian socialism". If, according to Herzen, Europe has
completely exhausted its potential, then leadership in the reorganization of the
world "may" pass to Russia, which still retains many untouched, fresh forces.
While in Europe the bourgeois-petty-bourgeois element prevailed, the desire for
enrichment, in Russia the community was preserved, ensuring the existence of
collective forms of life and work. The community, according to A.I. Herzen,
“may” become the cell on the basis of which a new socialist society “could be”
built. The Russian peasant was not infected with the bacillus of Western European
individualism, he was a collectivist by instinct, and this made it possible to count
on
In fact, one of the first Russian thinkers, Herzen, declared that in Russia it was
"possible" to build a just socialist society, bypassing the stage of capitalism. Thus,
the category of "possibility" became the most important not only for Herzen, but
for all subsequent revolutionary thought in Russia.
Bibliography:
1. Herzen A. I. The Old World and Russia. – 1858
2. Herzen A.I. Russian people and socialism. – 1852
3. Herzen A. I. Towards the Development of Revolutionary Ideas in Russia. –
1906
4. What did Herzen believe in? // Pravmir URL: https://www.pravmir.ru/vochto-veril-gercen/