Abstract
The paper investigates the dependence of Leo Tolstoy’s ethical, religious and political ideas on Benedict Spinoza’s philosophy. The Soviet philosopher Valentin Asmus offered a solution to this problem by attempting to emphasize rationalist elements in Tolstoy’s teachings while glossing over his religious inclinations. Asmus treated Tolstoy’s “life’s religion” as a peculiar form of humanist ethics, just like Spinoza’s idea that “God” is merely infinite Nature. Asmus compared the Spinozist and Tolstoyan understanding of the relationship between metaphysics and ethics. He also showed that the fundamental difference between Tolstoy’s and Spinoza’s doctrines, was in their different understanding of human freedom. According to Tolstoy, a “free action” goes beyond the limitations of the laws of history. Regarding their relation to “real life,” Tolstoy’s, in many ways, was polar opposite to that of Spinoza’s.
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Notes
References to the founders of Marxist thought were often ritualistic. Valentin Asmus was a philosopher formed in pre-revolutionary times, and he became Marxist only under the pressure of circumstances. Kant had always been his favourite philosopher. Asmus even requested to be buried with a portrait of Kant in his hands—a wish that was granted.
“The doctrine of Scripture does not contain lofty speculations, or philosophical matters, but only the simplest things, which anyone, no matter how slow, can perceive” (Spinoza 2016, p. 257).
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The study was funded by Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project number 20–011-00646.
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Klimova, S. Spinoza and Tolstoy in Valentin Asmus’ comparative analysis. Stud East Eur Thought 74, 345–357 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11212-021-09442-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11212-021-09442-1