L. N. TOLSTOY AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE CYNICS

The article examines Tolstoy’s attitude to the ancient philosophical movement of Cynicism. Tolstoy’s simplification is reminiscent of the simplification of the Cynics. The second main point of the reception of the Cynics by Tolstoy is the apology for the release of the spiritual personal core of man. The exaltation of the role of the individual among the Cynics correlates with the increasing role of subjectivity among Tolstoy. At the end of the 20th century. Peter Sloterdijk saw in modern forms of criticism of reality only falsely understood and falsely implemented cynicism, calling them cynicism. The return to cynicism declared by the German philosopher as a type of “true” social criticism was anticipated by Tolstoy.