Vladimir Solov’ëv’s Justification of the Moral Good

This new English translation of Solov'ev's principal ethical treatise, written in his later years, presents Solov'ev's mature views on a host of topics ranging from a critique of individualistic ethical systems to the death penalty, the meaning of war, animal rights, and environmentalism. Written for the educated public rather than for a narrow circle of specialists, Solov'ev's work largely avoids technical vocabulary while illustrating his points with references to classical literature from the ancient Greeks to Goethe. Although written from a deeply held Christian viewpoint, Solov'ev emphasizes the turn from his earlier position, now allegedly developing the independence of moral philosophy from metaphysics and revealed religion. Solov'ev sees the formal universality of the idea of the moral good in all human beings, albeit that this idea is bereft of material content. This first new English-language translation in a century makes a unique contribution to the study of Solov'ev's thought. It uses the text of the second edition published in 1899 as its main text, but provides the variations and additions from the earlier versions of each chapter in running notes. Other unique features of this translation are that the pagination of the widely available 1914 edition is provided in the text, and the sources of Solov'ev's numerous Biblical quotations and references as well as literary and historical allusions.

This new English translation of Solov’ëv’s principal ethical treatise, written in his later years, presents Solov’ëv’s mature views on a host of topics ranging from a critique of individualistic ethical systems to the death penalty, the meaning of war, animal rights, and environmentalism. Written for the educated public rather than for a narrow circle of specialists, Solov’ëv’s work largely avoids technical vocabulary while illustrating his points with references to classical literature from the ancient Greeks to Goethe. Although written from a deeply held Christian viewpoint, Solov’ëv emphasizes the turn from his earlier position, now allegedly developing the independence of moral philosophy from metaphysics and revealed religion. Solov’ëv sees the formal universality of the idea of the moral good in all human beings, albeit that this idea is bereft of material content. This first new English-language translation in a century makes a unique contribution to the study of Solov’ëv’s thought. It uses the text of the second edition published in 1899 as its main text, but provides the variations and additions from the earlier versions of each chapter in running notes. Other unique features of this translation are that the pagination of the widely available 1914 edition is provided in the text, and the sources of Solov’ëv’s numerous Biblical quotations and references as well as literary and historical allusions.

Preface to the Second Edition.- Preface to the First Edition.- Introduction: Moral Philosophy as an Independent Discipline.- Chapter 1: The Original Data of Morality.- Chapter 2: The Ascetic Principle in Morality.- Chapter 3: Pity and Altruism.- Chapter 4: The Religious Principle in Morality.- Chapter 5: On Virtues.- Chapter 6: Pseudo Principles of Practical Philosophy.- Chapter 7: The Unity of Moral Foundations.- Chapter 8: The Unconditional Principle of Morality.- Chapter 9: The Reality of the Moral Order.- Chapter 10: The Individual and Society.- Chapter 11: The Principal Eras in the Historical Development of Personal-Social Consciousness.- Chapter 12: Abstract Subjectivism in Morality.- Chapter 13: The Moral Norm of Sociality.- Chapter 14: The National Question from the Moral Point of View.- Chapter 15: The Penal Question from the Moral Point of View.- Chapter 16: The Economic Question from the Moral Point of View.- Chapter 17: Morality and Legal Right.- Chapter 18: The Meaning of War.- Chapter 19: The Moral Organization of Humanity as a Whole.- Chapter 20: Conclusion: The Definitive Determination of the Moral Meaning of Life and the Transition to Theoretical Philosophy.