Three lessons from Vladimir Solovyov

The article is a response to the invitation of the Solovyov Studies to discuss at Round-table talks the significance of V.S. Solovyov´s legacy. The author characterizes his attitude toward Solovyov´s legacy through three theses pertaining to metaphysics, historiosophy, and ethics. The metaphysics of the Russian philosopher is currently important because of the idea of applying “apophatic logic” to a human being: thus non-existence is regarded as the essence of both God and humans; Solovyov's historiosophy are important because they suggest an ethical vector of social development Solovyov's ethics is important because of the belief that people are capable of creating a better world – better, than the one we live in now, and opposes “spiritualism”, which implies a lack of faith in human beings, the conviction that it is impossible to implement any good intentions in “empirical” reality, and the belief that everything truly valuable is of a supra-individual, non-utilitarian nature and has no relation to the interests and needs of people. Both in Solovyov's time and now, the ethics of supra-personal values leads to violence and despotism.