Introduction
Leo Tolstoy was a prominent Russian writer from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century. He was known for his works, War and Peace, and Anna Karenina. Toward the end of his career, the author delved deeper into issues concerning religion, ethics, and aesthetics.
In his philosophical exploration “Faith Provides Life’s Meaning,” the author recognizes that death is the only certainty that humans have in life. He concludes that the meaning of life cannot come from external sources, including philosophy, science, art, or literature. Instead, irrational knowledge, which includes religion, is the only source of the meaning of life.
It is hard to contradict Tolstoy’s approach to the meaning of life because it was his perception. Faith encompasses a specific set of morals that show people why they live and what actions they should pursue to make it meaningful. In contrast, relaying everything that occurs in life and religious doctrines can be limiting, which is why viewing faith as a personal journey that every individual can choose for themselves may be helpful.
Meaning of Life According to Tolstoy
Tolstoy describes the thought process that brought him to a conclusion when he is in favor of faith as the primary source of the meaning of life. He initially struggled to find meaning in life, thinking it was a “mean trick played by somebody” (Tolstoy 566). While pondering the finite nature of life, the author discusses the role of various things in his life and whether they constituted its meaning. For instance, his family could not instill meaning in life because Tolstoy’s wife and children were also humans and thus were in the same condition of searching for meaning.
While he used to consider art and poetry as valuable contributors to life’s meaning, Tolstoy also denied them because they represented the adornment of life, a “decoy” (Tolstoy 568). Consequently, even though valuable, artistic expression cannot constitute life’s meaning because they are superfluous. Rational knowledge that stems from scientific exploration cannot represent the meaning of life because too many variables are involved. The answers that rational knowledge provides only indicate that the answer may be correct if questions are put differently.
Therefore, if one is to ponder the meaning of life, family, art, or rational knowledge, one cannot answer how one should live to find meaning. When looking at humanity, Tolstoy mentions that he noticed that everyone lived and asserted that they knew a sense of life, and what united all people was irrational knowledge, in other words, faith. Faith made living possible at any time in history and in any location, with its main characteristics remaining quite similar. Regardless of the answers that faith can provide humanity, every aspect gives a person’s finite existence a sense of the infinite, which neither death nor suffering can destroy.
Indeed, faith, no matter the religious denomination or the deity, makes existence much more meaningful because it does not demand rational answers. What cannot be proven by science finds its explanation in irrational knowledge, which can often inspire believers. No matter what a person believes, they can console themselves, especially at times of adversity, with the thought that everything happens because of a divine plan, which makes life much easier. Moreover, the less humans understand the meaning of life, the more likely they are to seek answers in the irrational world that can provide comfort and peace long-term.
Evaluating Tolstoy’s exploration of the meaning of life, it is essential to first praise the author for not elevating one religion or faith system over others. While he does mention God and Christianity, he does not suggest that believing in the Trinity is the only way to be a true believer whose life has meaning. Instead, Tolstoy praised believers as people who viewed faith as a necessity for them and that it was the source of life’s meaning. Most such people spend their lives working hard yet still manage to be satisfied with their lives, accepting the challenges that come their way. This revelation makes the essay insightful – faith gives humans strength, and without this strength, they are likely to live unhappy and unsatisfying lives.
Conclusion
While art, science, family, and other things can enhance a person’s life, they cannot bring what faith brings to people’s lives. Ultimately, they can. Through centuries, humanity persevered through faith and the capacity to find answers in irrational knowledge. Faith can take many forms and may not even be rooted in a specific religion. It can be anything in which a person finds comfort and can transfer the beliefs and ideas into the meaning of life. Through faith in something good, it gets easier to accept the adverse events that are inevitable in life. Finally, Tolstoy encourages us to ponder how faith makes people ultimately stronger because it acts as the ultimate truth they accept.
Work Cited
Tolstoy, Leo. “Faith Provides Life’s Meaning.” Classica Philosophical Questions, edited by James Gould, Prentice Hall, 1995, pp. 564-574.