Abstract
In Chap. 2, Solov’ëv elaborates on asceticism. The original feeling of shame is in the primitive human only semi-conscious. Reason elevates it, however, into a principle calling for the subordination of the flesh to the spiritual. Reason sees the corporeal as irrational. In practice, asceticism turns to controlling basic bodily functions. In at least one of its historical manifestations, asceticism calls for the simple state of undesiring. In another manifestation, it labels the material world as the evil principle itself. Since we cannot morally approve of an evil or ruthless ascetic, it follows that the very principle of asceticism has only a conditional moral significance. That is, it has moral significance only in conjunction with the principle of altruism, which is rooted in pity. Thus, its excesses notwithstanding, asceticism is an indubitable element of the moral good.
E] In the first edition of the compiled work from 1897, Chap. 3 spans pp. 59–83.
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Notes
- 1.
C] in fact] Absent in AB.
- 2.
C] which threatens to overpower us] Absent in AB.
- 3.
C] carnal] material AB.
- 4.
F] Although it developed in its present form only around the time of Buddhism’s disappearance from India (VIII–XIII centuries A.D.), its fundamental ideas can already be found in the ancient Upanishads. C] (VIII–XIII centuries A.D.)] Absent in AB.
- 5.
E] For Solov’ëv’s Encyclopedic Dictionary entry on Vedanta, see SS, vol. 10: 294–297; also Solov’ëv 1997: 22–25.
- 6.
C] This world] It AB.
- 7.
F] In some Indian books, this “part” of ignorance is determined arithmetically: it forms 1/4 (according to others, 1/3) of the absolute. Probably in order for the relation to remain constant the birth of ignoramuses is counterbalanced by the enlightenment of the wise.
- 8.
C] the multitude of separate individuals] its separate exemplars AB.
- 9.
C] (the principle of Advaita—of non-duality or indivisibility)] Absent in AB.
- 10.
E] On Valentinian gnosticism, see Solov’ëv’s Encyclopedic Dictionary entry in SS, vol. 10: 285–290; also Solov’ëv 1997: 3–8.
- 11.
C] the world and] Absent in A.
- 12.
C] and] or AB.
- 13.
C] creatures in the world … animals—that] animals that we see as similar higher creatures AB.
- 14.
C] This feeling shows … rise above it.] Absent in AB.
- 15.
F] This is a fact of our inner experience, which, neither in its psychological reality nor in its ethical significance, depends on any metaphysical conceptions concerning the essence of the spirit and matter.
- 16.
C] The spiritual principle … at present, is] The spiritual principle that we are aware of within ourselves is not some special “substance” in the form of the soul that is the concern of “rational psychology” (which was refuted by Kant in his critique of the “paralogisms”). It is A.
- 17.
C] and which has], for it has AB.
- 18.
C] From the ascetic viewpoint,] Absent in AB.
- 19.
E] “temple of the spirit”] Cf. I Corinthians 6: 19.
- 20.
E] “heavenly”] I Corinthians 15: 40.
- 21.
F] In the Holy Scriptures, the word “flesh” is sometimes used in a broad sense to mean material being in general. For example, “The Word became flesh,” [Genesis 6: 3—TN] i.e., It became a material phenomenon. This did not prevent the incarnate Word from being a purely spiritual, sinless divine person. Usually, however, the terms “flesh” and “carnal” are used in the Scriptures in the bad sense of material nature, a sense which violates material nature’s proper relationship to the spirit, opposing and excluding it from its own sphere. Such a use of the word is often found not only in the New but also the Old Testament, for example, “My spirit will not remain in humans, for they are flesh.” E] Cf. Genesis 6: 3.
- 22.
C] thereby seeks] wants AB.
- 23.
C] manifestation] existence AB.
- 24.
C] vice versa.] vice versa. In this way, the law of conservation of energy is fully applicable to spiritual life. B.
- 25.
C] In fact, the spirit] In fact, on the one hand, the spirit AB.
- 26.
C] At the same time,] On the other hand, AB.
- 27.
C] to be] already AB.
- 28.
C] at the present … or imperishable!”] Absent in AB.
- 29.
C] Having as your … matter, or chaos.] Absent in AB.
- 30.
E] See Galatians 5: 17—“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit”.
- 31.
F] I mean normal sleep; concerning abnormal sleep, see below.
- 32.
C] continual] chief A.
- 33.
C] surrounding] external physical A.
- 34.
E] Swedish scientist and religious thinker. He is arguably best known today as the object of Kant’s 1766 attack Dreams of a Spirit-Seeker. Solov’ëv wrote a lengthy entry for the Brockhaus-Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary on Swedenborg. See SS, vol. 10: 487–497; also Solov’ëv 1997: 433–446.
- 35.
E] Born in 1823, Harris was an American Christian mystic, who founded a community in Wassaic, NY and later moved part of it to Santa Rosa, CA.
- 36.
E] A disciple of Harris, Oliphant was a noted travel author.
- 37.
F] As one condition of “meditation,” Orthodox mystics assiduously practiced, and in places even still now practice, so-called “nostril breathing” and also complete control over breathing.
- 38.
C] spiritual] Absent in AB.
- 39.
F] “Krasota v prirode,” Voprosy filosofii i psikhologii, 1889, bk. 1, pp. 1–50. E] See Soloviev 2003b.
- 40.
F] There is yet another reason to abstain from the consumption of meat and animals in general. Although it does not have an ascetic character, it too is of a moral character, indeed, an altruistic character, namely the extension to animals of the commandment of mercy or pity. The second reason is predominant in Buddhist ethics, whereas the ascetic one is adopted by the Christian Church.
- 41.
F] According to the Bible, normal human food in paradise consisted of some fruits and herbs in their natural form. Even now, this is the rule for the strictest monastic fast both in the East and in the West (the Trappists). Between this extreme and the easy Catholic fast for the laity, there are a number of degrees, which have their basis in nature (for example, the difference between warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals, owing to which fish is considered one form of food that is permissible during a fast). But these degrees have no fundamental and obligatory significance.
- 42.
C] considered normal. From the] considered necessary. Beef steak, mutton, pork and chicken were recognized as having the same necessity. From the AB.
- 43.
E] Cf. Leviticus 10: 9 “Do not drink wine nor strong drink.”
- 44.
C] even directly useful.] but even in certain exceptional cases directly useful. AB.
- 45.
F] By the way, at the present moral level of humanity the supremacy of the carnal desires is the rule and the predominance of spiritual motives only the exception and, therefore, cannot be counted upon. For this reason, preaching sobriety and a battle against artificial hallucinogens can, without any practical inconvenience, be presented as a rule calling for complete abstinence from strong drink and all other stimulants. This, however, has a merely pedagogical and prophylactic significance and is fundamentally not of moral importance. C] This, however, has … moral importance.] Absent in AB.
- 46.
C] , an independent object of pleasure.] and not as a means of bearing children. A.
- 47.
C] What should we … should be?] What should I myself make of this fact? AB.
- 48.
C] rational] Absent in AB.
- 49.
C] since it is connected … cosmic process.] Absent in AB.
- 50.
C] relation between the sexes] reproduction A.
- 51.
E] Matthew 19: 12.
- 52.
E] Matthew 22: 30; cf. Mark 12: 25.
- 53.
C] Humanity’s final conciliation … “Plato’s Life-Drama”).] Absent in AB] E] See Soloviev 2000a.
- 54.
E] Latin: assuming the impossible.
- 55.
E] Cf. 1 Timothy 4: 8.
- 56.
F] I am not concerned here with the marriage union in its highest spiritual sense, which has nothing to do either with carnal sin or with child-bearing, but is the prototype of the most perfect union of beings. “This is a great mystery. But I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Concerning the mystical significance of matrimony see The Meaning of Love (VFP, books 14, 15, 16, 17 and 21). E] See Soloviev 2003c. Solov’ëv quotes the same biblical passage, Ephesians 5: 32, again in Soloviev 2003c.
- 57.
C] In any case, the … future of humanity?] Absent in AB.
- 58.
C] evil incarnation] carnal desire A.
- 59.
C] some object or … nature. This idea] a seductive object which A.
- 60.
F] The Church Fathers designate this principle as the demand “to dash the Babylonian little ones against the stones” in accordance with the allegorical sense of the line in the Psalm [137: 8–9—TN] “O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be,… that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.” (Babylon = the kingdom of sin; the Babylonian little one = the mentally conceived but as yet unexecuted sin; the stone = the firmness of faith).
- 61.
F] In our younger years, with a lively imagination and little spiritual experience, we develop an evil thought very quickly and, reaching an extreme absurdity, evoke a powerful moral reaction. Thus, you think, for example, of a person you dislike, a thought accompanied by a slight feeling of resentment, indignation or anger. If you do not now dash this Babylonian infant against the stones, then your imagination, being obedient to your evil passion, will immediately draw a vivid picture for you. You have already met an unpleasant person and placed this person in an awkward position. His or her entire worthlessness is revealed. You feel the velleitas of magnanimity, but your passion has already flared up and is overwhelming you. However, you keep within the bounds of your good upbringing. You make subtly caustic remarks, but soon they become more caustic than subtle. They give way to “insulting words,” then “insulting actions.” With a devilishly powerful fist you deal victorious blows. The villain falls; the villain is killed, and you dance like a cannibal on his corpse…. One can go no further and must simply cross oneself and turn away in disgust. C] This entire note absent in AB.
- 62.
C] dream-like scene … scene forces] dream-like scene, which forces A.
- 63.
C] secretly prompted by an evil inclination,] Absent in AB.
- 64.
C] taken individually,] Absent in AB.
- 65.
C] (in the broad … and nonsensical)] Absent in AB.
- 66.
C] Taken alone, … is not unconditional.] It is clear, however, that this good is only relative or conditional. AB.
- 67.
C] , even if the goal is not for low personal gain] Absent in AB.
- 68.
C] (carnal) Absent in AB.
- 69.
C] (spiritual) Absent in AB.
- 70.
F] If suppression of the flesh is taken not as a means for the moral good or for evil, but as a goal in itself, then a peculiar kind of false asceticism arises in which the flesh is identified with the body and any bodily pain is considered a virtue. By the way, although it does not originally have an evil goal, this false asceticism, called masochism, easily becomes an evil upon being further developed. It either turns into a slow suicide or becomes a peculiar kind of voluptuousness. It would be careless, however, to condemn all cases of masochism. Those who have a particularly strong material life have a nature that may require heroic means to suppress that life. Therefore, one must not indiscriminately condemn Stylitism, chains, and other such means of mortifying the flesh that were in use in the heroic epoch of asceticism.
- 71.
C] Let us now … moral principle.] Absent in AB.
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Nemeth, T. (2015). [66]Chapter 2 The Ascetic Principle in Morality. In: Nemeth, T. (eds) Vladimir Solov’ëv's Justification of the Moral Good. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12775-0_3
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