Tolstoy and Descartes: Illych's Dualism
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I have to write a report and this is the last section. I need 3-4 paragraphs for this section and I have only 2. I wrote about the obvious.. that Ivan was questioning the meaning of life because he lived so well yet was miserable, and lived for himself which in the end he understood that was not living.
Can someone help with any more information about what philosophical question the book addresses and how?
(Obviously most of these books can address multiple questions) I just can't come up with anything else and need 2 more paragraphs.
Thanks
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Solution Summary
The logic, thinker, and assumptions regarding Tolstoy's famous novel The Death of Ivan Ilych are overviewed and discussed in some philosophical detail, including possible objections to the foundations of his work.
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The point behind Tolstoy's novel here is more easily understood when put into historical context. The points he makes are based more or less entirely on the concept of Cartesian Dualism. That is to say: Tolstoy relies upon the assertion that human beings exist as a mind/soul AND as a body, in separate ways that are opposed to one another. This is how Tolstoy is able to assert that Ilych did not life a meaningful life when pursuing purely physical interests.
It is not so much that the book argues for Cartesian Dualism as much as it relies upon such dualism to assert further that the pursuing things purely devoted to the soul are the only things rewarding. Nevertheless, he does agree with Descartes that the foundation of ...
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