Ideal motives : self-perfection and self-knowledge in the work of Dostoevsky
I offer a read ing of Dostoevsky's eth ical philosophy, Jrawing on his fiction and non-fiction work. I argue that coJ1cepts of human oalure and flouri shing are central to Dostoevsky's ethical thought ~d underpin his argum entative strategy in the fiction. ln Part I, l set oul Dostoevsky's ethical philosophy. Dostoevsky rejects the role of reason in ethics and insists that moral action is motivated by spontaneous moral feelin gs . The goal of ethical activity is to develop the se spontaneous feelings and to perfect oneself in the im age of the ideally virtuous agent, Christ. To strive to do so is to flo urish. The i < .lea.l of hum an pe,tect ion is present in un reali sed form in hum an natu re, a.11d self-perfection is n natural process . The process is interrup ted, however. by the desire for autonomy, which undermines one's inner ham10 ny , creating self-des tructive tend encies alongside the natural tendency to self-perfection. This loss of inner harm ony represents t.he opposite of human flourishin g: moral disease. These ideas are apparent in Dostoevsky's views on freedom, res pons ibili y, and the origin of sin. AL the end of Part I, l di scuss Dos toevsky's fict ion al characters in the light of hi
Christmas, Simon
Ideal motives : self-perfection and self-knowledge in the work of Dostoevsky. I offer a read ing of Dostoevsky's eth ical philosophy, Jrawing on his fiction and non-fiction work. I argue that coJ1cepts of human oalure and flouri shing are central to Dostoevsky's ethical thought ~d underpin his argum entative strategy in the fiction. ln Part I, l set oul Dostoevsky's ethical philosophy. Dostoevsky rejects the role of reason in ethics and insists that moral action is motivated by spontaneous moral feelin gs . The goal of ethical activity is to develop the se spontaneous feelings and to perfect oneself in the im age of the ideally virtuous agent, Christ. To strive to do so is to flo urish. The i < .lea.l of hum an pe,tect ion is present in un reali sed form in hum an natu re, a.11d self-perfection is n natural process . The process is interrup ted, however. by the desire for autonomy, which undermines one's inner ham10 ny , creating self-des tructive tend encies alongside the natural tendency to self-perfection. This loss of inner harm ony represents t.he opposite of human flourishin g: moral disease. These ideas are apparent in Dostoevsky's views on freedom, res pons ibili y, and the origin of sin. AL the end of Part I, l di scuss Dos toevsky's fict ion al characters in the light of hi
ideal motif self perfection self_knowledge work offer_read ing philosophy fiction non fiction work argue human central ethical think underpin strategy fiction part set ethical philosophy reject role reason ethic insist moral action motivate spontaneous moral goal ethical activity develop spontaneous feeling perfect oneself age ideally virtuous agent christ strive ion present sed form self perfection natural process process however desire autonomy undermines inner create self des tend alongside natural tendency self perfection loss inner harm represent the opposite human moral disease idea apparent view freedom res origin sin end part ion character light