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.
