Existential struggles in Dostoevsky’s the Brothers Karamazov

Abstract

Abstracts The salience of Fyodor Dostoevsky's novels for philosophical reflection is undeniable. By providing a myriad of often dialectically mediating perspectives on certain subjects, he can serve as a rich fount for philosophical polemic. Many readers have been prone to confine the philosophical import of Dostoevsky's prose to such a polyphony of dialectically interacting perspectives. In this article, this topic is taken up with a focus on the differing points of view on human salvation espoused by the protagonists of The Brothers Karamazov. It will be argued that Dostoevsky held to a view that only through certain existential struggles the human agent can attain a full-blooded experience of redemption. This argument will be made from the dialectical development of predominantly Ivan and Alyosha Karamazov.

A Forgotten Philosopher Juozapas Čepėnas: Ethic Insights

“…The first is the study of the thoughts inspired by Dostoevsky's daughter on the Lithuanian roots of the writer (Gustainis 1921: 2), the other text is a review of Dostoevsky's outlooks but not an assessment of these ideas a priori deemed by Čepėnas' religious beliefs, but a study of the importance of Dostoevsky's works for the readers through their connection to his Lithuanian ancestry (Gucaitis 1922: 26-42). 3 Čepėnas justified his choice of the doctoral dissertation theme not claiming any special philosophical insights. He indicated that his supervisor, who knew that the activity of German researchers was limited by their inability to read texts published in the Russian language, advised him to provide easier understanding of Dostoevsky's ideas for those who do not understand Russian.…”