ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ М. М. ХВОСТОВЫМ ПОНЯТИЙ «ЭВОЛЮЦИЯ» И «ПРОГРЕСС»

Abstract

The article considers M. M. Khvostov's attitude to the concepts of «evolution» and «progress», and the peculiarities of their application in his scientific works. It is noted that, unlike many of his colleagues who abandoned the use of the concept of «progress» at the end of the XIX century, Khvostov did not replace it with a stricter concept of «evolution» and continued to apply both concepts, replacing one concept with the other, considering them equivalent, on the assumption that both concepts refer to the strictly directed movement of society forward, from the lowest to the highest, from the simple to the complex, from the primitive to the «more cultural». In relation to Ancient Greece, M. M. Khvostov emphasizes the faster pace of the emergence of new cultural achievements from century to century, and the desire of the Greeks themselves for constant aesthetic self-improvement. Recognizing the existence of obstacles (military actions, «revolution», conservatism of certain strata of society, etc.) on the path of the continuous evolution of ancient societies, M. M. Khvostov, however, did not dare to «improve» the sociological doctrines of O. Comte, J. S. Mill, G. Spencer, remaining faithful to the speculative constructions of his great predecessors. It is noted that M. M. Khvostov did not show interest in N. I. Kareev's arguments about the essence of evolution and progress, that not every evolution can be considered progress, that the idea of progress is a representation of an evaluative nature, therefore it is subjective, incompatible with the ideals of an accurate, objective evidence-based science, that is, positivism. The authors emphasize that M. M. Khvostov, about a decade after his colleagues, also began to avoid using the concept of«progress,» preferring the concept of «evolution with a general progressive orientation. He did so under the influence of new beliefs, including the recognition of E. Meyer's concept of the cyclical development of Ancient nations. It is noted that over time the concepts of «progressive ideals,» «progressive views» became associated more with political activity; the concepts of «progress in science,» «progress in technology,» «progress in the economy,» and progress in a certain branch of culture – with successes and achievements in the social, economic and cultural spheres of society