Эпистемологический реализм в контексте идей В. С. Соловьева

In this article, we treat epistemology as a special type of cognition theory which appeared in the Modern Age. Unlike gnoseology, epistemology is always determined by a certain ontological basis it rests upon. Epistemological realism, in its turn, is understood here as a philosophical framework which helps comprehend the problem of cognition in accordance with a certain ontological position. In general, epistemological realism justifies scientific cognition and its capability to approximate truth as the ideal knowledge and as the essence of the cognizable, which necessitates a recourse to ontological issues. The article shows the development of the realist strand in 19th and 20th century epistemology from naive realism to scientific realism. In the Russian philosophy, realism found both its critics and followers. It was Vladimir Solovyov who focused on to epistemological realism in developing his doctrine of all-unity, also anticipating some of its further trends. Solovyov critiqued the naive realism which was typical for the positivist theory of cognition. As we show in the article, his critique was well-justified. 20th century Western philosophy produced three versions of epistemological realism: neo-realism, critical realism and scientific realism. We examine them here in the context of Solovyov’s philosophical thought. Contemporary scientific realism appears to be the most convincing attempt of explaining how scientific cognition can approximate truth. In a number of ways, it overlaps with Vladimir Solovyov’s gnoseology.