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Homework on Leo Tolstoy's Confession
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- PHIL-1105
- Institution
- Seton Hall University
Homework questions for Leo Tolstoy's Confession
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Professor UnnaPHIL 1105 AA
Homework due October 22nd
Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, transl. by Louise and Aylmer Maude 1882 (Global Grey ebooks 2018) 11-18, 25-26, 38, 40-42 :
1.How would you characterize Tolstoy’s state of mind? He is “worn out” and confused. His mental health seems like it is struggling. He is questioning his life and death. 2.Why does Tolstoy believe that the natural sciences cannot provide him with any answer to his question? Do you agree? He believes natural sciences cannot give him the answer to “what is the meaning of life, and why it exists.” He says that the answer science gives him to why life exists is “because it does,” and gives similar answers to his other questions. I agree with him. Science does not observe the
meaning of life or the meaning in why it exists, it only examines life itself. 3.Do you agree with Tolstoy's answer to the question "How am I to live?” Why? Support
your position. He argues that indulging in faith is the way people ought to live. He argues that reasonable knowledge told him his life was senseless, faith tells him he has a larger purpose – something to
live and die for. Although I am not a deeply religious person, I do see how this notion could have given him comfort and the will to live. Ultimately, faith gives him the meaning he was longing for. 4.What kinds of knowledge does Tolstoy distinguish?
He uses rational and faith-based knowledge. By the end, he sides with the faith-based knowledge. Epicurus, "Epicurus to Menoeceus," in Epicurus the Extant Remains , 83-91. Translated by Cyril
Bailey (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1926) 83-91: 1.Why is the study of philosophy important?
He argues that philosophy is for men young and old because man is never too old to know happiness. 2.When Epicurus speaks of pleasure as the main goal in life, what does he mean to say?
He says pleasure is the first and natural good to us. “we call pleasure the beginning and end of the blessed life” (87). He mentions earlier on that man who fears death fears the pain of it, and lives in fear because of the anticipation of death. Perhaps he means that we should live with pleasure rather than this pain that is fear. Before we turn to the readings, let's talk about the following question: Do you fear death? Do you think that death is something good or bad? Why? What do you think
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