V.S. Solov'ev's Ethical Minimum in the Philosophy of N.N. Alekseev

The article focuses on the viewpoints of N.N. Alekseev (a famous figure of the Russian emigration), on the problem of the ethical minimum in the philosophy of law as an integral part of V.S. Solov'ev's doctrine. I have analyzed two approaches of Alekseev to the understanding of Solov'ev's formula of the ethical minimum: a critical reception, formed before emigration, and an in-depth interpretation, formed in the 1920s–1930s. Their differences are revealed: in the first approach Alekseev focused on the substantive difference between law and morality, and in the second approach – on their regulative similarity. In conclusion, it was revealed that Alekseev's two approaches to Solov'ev's formula of ethical minimum do not exclude each other, but they complement each other, showing the functionality of law at the level of individual and collective personalities. The heuristic potential of Solov'ev's formula of ethical minimum was founded to define the purpose of law in the development of society.