Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy; 9 September 1828 – 20 November 1910), usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time...
NationalityRussian
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth28 August 1828
CountryRussian Federation
reason
He is not apprehended by reason, but by life.
mean too-much reason
Love. The reason I dislike that word is that it means too much for me, far more than you can understand." - Anna Karenina {Anna Karenina}
logical-reasoning submission understood
God cannot be understood by logical reasoning but only by submission.
believe life-is reason
I believe that the reason of life is for each of us simply to grow in love.
circles reason-why conservative
If there was a reason why he preferred the liberal tendency to the conservative one (also held to by many of his circle), it was not because he found the liberal tendency more sensible, but it more closely suited his manner of life.
men reason relation
Man has received direct from God only one instrument wherewith to know himself and to know his relation to the universe--he has no other--and that instrument is reason.
life reason possibility
If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed.
life-is reason human-life
For if we allow that human life is always guided by reason, we destroy the premise that life is possible at all.
law reason loving-others
But the law of loving others could not be discovered by reason, because it is unreasonable.
easier practice principle produce ten volumes
It is easier to produce ten volumes of philosophical writing than to put one principle into practice
church convinced crafty evil gross practice teaching theory witchcraft
I am convinced that the teaching of the church is in theory a crafty and evil lie, and in practice a concoction of gross superstition and witchcraft
beautiful beauty hear illusion strange suppose thoughts wise woman
What a strange illusion it is to suppose that beauty is goodness! A beautiful woman utters absurdities: we listen, and we hear not the absurdities but wise thoughts
flight highest human wisdom
The only thing that we know is that we know nothing and that is the highest flight of human wisdom.
absurd born deny fable fall god redeem regarding
It is true, I deny the incomprehensible Trinity, and the fable regarding the fall of man, which is absurd in our day. It is true, I deny the sacrilegious story of a God born of a virgin to redeem the race.