Value orientations: evolution of social and humanitarian thought

The purpose of the article is to analyze the origin and the development of the idea of value orientations in historical retrospect. The author gives assessment of various historical stages characterizing the process of evolution of value orientations, including representatives of the main philosophical and axiological schools of Antiquity, Ancient East, the period of Modern times, Western European axiology and the Middle Ages. The article demonstrates the role of the representatives of Baden school of neo-Kantianism and Russian religious philosophy in the development of the value field. The axiological views of representatives of Western philosophy of the first half of the 19th century, as well as supporters of psychological and sociological schools are reflected. It is shown that value orientations of the individual characterize his/her life claims and preferences. It is proved that the generalization of this historical experience contributes to the understanding of the value of the individual consciousness, through which a person establishes his/her value relations with the world and comprehends the value properties of life.

axiology, value orientation, history of social and humanitarian thought, axiosphere of personality