Future and immortality in the religious philosophy of F.M. Dostoyevsky (from the novel «Crime And Punishment»)

Abstract

This article attempts to establish the relationship between the concept of immortality and the future of mankind and the religious faith of the characters of F.M. Dostoevsky's works. This problem is considered with reference to the example of a detailed analysis of the views of the main character of Dostoevsky’s novel «Crime and Punishment» (Rodion Raskolnikov). The characterization of the hero is given in terms of his religiosity. The features of Raskolnikov's worldview are noted; they consist in a combination of faith in God and lack of faith in immortality. It is suggested that the source of such an unusual combination of religious ideas is the historical concept of I.G. Fichte. On the basis of the comparison of the views of other heroes of the novel, the article concludes that the most fundamental point is their idea of immortality as a continuation of the existence of a person in earthly reality. It demonstrates that this point of view corresponds to the religious faith of Dostoevsky himself.