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Lev Shestov's birth name was Lev Isaakovich Shestov.
Answer: False
Explanation: Lev Shestov's birth name was Yeguda Lev Shvartsman; Lev Isaakovich Shestov was the name he adopted.
Lev Shestov was born in Kiev, Russian Empire, on January 31, 1866.
Answer: True
Explanation: The philosopher Lev Shestov was born Yeguda Lev Shvartsman on January 31, 1866, in Kiev, within the Russian Empire.
Shestov faced clashes with authority that disrupted his formal education at Moscow State University.
Answer: True
Explanation: Lev Shestov's academic career at Moscow State University was marked by disruptions stemming from his confrontations with institutional authority.
Lev Shestov's dissertation was accepted by the St. Vladimir's Imperial University of Kiev.
Answer: False
Explanation: Lev Shestov's dissertation was rejected by the St. Vladimir's Imperial University of Kiev due to its expression of revolutionary tendencies.
Shestov moved to Freiburg, Germany, in 1908, and then to Coppet, Switzerland, in 1910.
Answer: True
Explanation: In 1908, Lev Shestov relocated to Freiburg, Germany, and subsequently moved to Coppet, Switzerland, in 1910, continuing his philosophical work in these locations.
Following the Bolshevik seizure of power, Shestov refused to write a defense of Marxist doctrine to get his new work published.
Answer: True
Explanation: After the Bolsheviks assumed control, Shestov declined to author a defense of Marxist doctrine, which had been a condition for publishing his work, 'Potestas Clavium'.
Shestov emigrated to Germany after leaving Russia, where he became a popular figure.
Answer: False
Explanation: While Shestov did move to Germany (Freiburg) in 1908, his significant popularity as an intellectual figure was more pronounced after his emigration to France.
What was Lev Shestov's birth name?
Answer: Yeguda Lev Shvartsman
Explanation: Lev Shestov was born Yeguda Lev Shvartsman, later adopting the name Lev Isaakovich Shestov.
In which city did Lev Shestov die?
Answer: Paris, France
Explanation: Lev Shestov died in Paris, France, on November 19, 1938.
Why was Lev Shestov's dissertation rejected by St. Vladimir's Imperial University of Kiev?
Answer: It expressed revolutionary tendencies.
Explanation: Lev Shestov's dissertation was rejected by the St. Vladimir's Imperial University of Kiev because it contained expressions of revolutionary tendencies.
Shestov moved to which country in 1908?
Answer: Germany
Explanation: In 1908, Lev Shestov relocated to Freiburg, Germany.
What personal tragedy occurred in 1915, the same year Shestov returned to Moscow?
Answer: His son Sergei died in combat.
Explanation: In 1915, the same year he returned to Moscow, Lev Shestov experienced the personal tragedy of his son Sergei's death in combat.
After the Bolshevik Revolution, Shestov refused to publish his work unless he:
Answer: Wrote a defense of Marxist doctrine.
Explanation: Following the Bolshevik Revolution, Shestov declined to publish his work unless he agreed to write a defense of Marxist doctrine, a condition he refused.
Lev Shestov is primarily known for his strong advocacy for philosophical rationalism and positivism.
Answer: False
Explanation: Lev Shestov is primarily known for his critiques of philosophical rationalism and positivism, rather than their advocacy.
Shestov's main philosophical interests included theology and nihilism.
Answer: True
Explanation: The primary philosophical interests of Lev Shestov encompassed theology and nihilism, reflecting his engagement with profound existential and spiritual questions.
Many of Shestov's closest Russian friends viewed his work as a profound affirmation of reason and metaphysics.
Answer: False
Explanation: Contrary to affirming reason, many of Shestov's Russian contemporaries perceived his philosophy as a renunciation of reason and metaphysics.
Shestov critiqued scientism by opposing reason and science in general.
Answer: False
Explanation: Shestov's critique of scientism was not an opposition to reason or science per se, but rather to the deification of reason and its elevation to an absolute, omniscient authority.
What was Lev Shestov primarily known for?
Answer: Critiquing philosophical rationalism and positivism
Explanation: Lev Shestov is primarily recognized for his critiques of philosophical rationalism and positivism, challenging their efficacy in addressing fundamental existential questions.
Shestov's main philosophical interests included theology and which other concept?
Answer: Nihilism
Explanation: Lev Shestov's principal philosophical interests encompassed theology and nihilism, reflecting his deep engagement with existential and spiritual themes.
How did many of Shestov's closest Russian friends view his philosophy?
Answer: As a renunciation of reason and metaphysics.
Explanation: Many of Shestov's Russian contemporaries perceived his philosophy as a renunciation of reason and metaphysics, rather than an affirmation of them.
Shestov critiqued scientism for:
Answer: Deifying reason and treating it as an omniscient, omnipotent God.
Explanation: Shestov's critique of scientism targeted its tendency to deify reason, elevating it to the status of an omniscient and omnipotent divine entity.
Lev Shestov's work is often associated with the label "anti-philosophy."
Answer: True
Explanation: Lev Shestov's philosophical output is frequently categorized under the rubric of "anti-philosophy," reflecting its departure from traditional systematic approaches.
In "Athens and Jerusalem," Shestov argues that science must engage with concepts like freedom, God, and immortality.
Answer: False
Explanation: Shestov argued in "Athens and Jerusalem" that philosophy, not science, must engage with concepts like freedom, God, and immortality, as these lie beyond the scope of empirical scientific inquiry.
Shestov identified despair, characterized by the loss of certainties, as the "penultimate word."
Answer: True
Explanation: Shestov posited despair, defined by the erosion of certainties and existential meaning, as the "penultimate word" in his philosophical framework.
Shestov believed that beyond despair and philosophy lies "faith," a way of thinking that embraces the possibility that "everything is possible."
Answer: True
Explanation: Shestov proposed that "faith," characterized by the embrace of "everything is possible," emerges as a transformative perspective beyond despair and conventional philosophical reasoning.
Shestov interpreted the incarnation and resurrection of Jesus Christ as a demonstration that life's purpose is mystical surrender.
Answer: False
Explanation: Shestov interpreted the Christian concepts of incarnation and resurrection not as mystical surrender, but as evidence that life's purpose involves ascetical struggle.
The concluding message of "Athens and Jerusalem" is that philosophy is not contemplation but an unending struggle.
Answer: True
Explanation: Shestov's magnum opus, "Athens and Jerusalem," concludes with the assertion that philosophy is fundamentally an unending struggle, rather than a passive act of contemplation.
What dichotomy is central to Shestov's magnum opus, "Athens and Jerusalem"?
Answer: Freedom and Reason
Explanation: The central dichotomy explored in Lev Shestov's "Athens and Jerusalem" is that of freedom versus reason.
In Shestov's philosophy, what is identified as the "penultimate word"?
Answer: Despair
Explanation: Shestov designated despair, characterized by the loss of certainties and existential meaning, as the "penultimate word."
Shestov interpreted the Christian concepts of incarnation and resurrection as a demonstration that life's purpose is:
Answer: Ascetical struggle.
Explanation: Shestov viewed the Christian doctrines of incarnation and resurrection as illustrating that life's purpose is found in ascetical struggle, rather than mystical surrender.
According to Shestov, what is the final message of "Athens and Jerusalem" regarding the nature of philosophy?
Answer: Philosophy is not contemplation but an unending struggle.
Explanation: The concluding thesis of "Athens and Jerusalem" is that philosophy is fundamentally an unending struggle, rather than a passive act of contemplation.
Shestov proposed faith as a source of truth that:
Answer: Transcends the constraints of reason.
Explanation: Shestov posited faith as a source of truth capable of transcending the inherent limitations and constraints of rational thought.
Shestov's "anti-philosophy" is characterized by its:
Answer: Rejection of systematic unity and theoretical explanations.
Explanation: Shestov's "anti-philosophy" is distinguished by its deliberate rejection of systematic unity and definitive theoretical explanations for complex philosophical issues.
Shestov's early major works explored the philosophies of Leo Tolstoy, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Answer: True
Explanation: Lev Shestov's seminal early works, such as "Good in the Teaching of Tolstoy and Nietzsche" and "The Philosophy of Tragedy," critically engaged with the ideas of Tolstoy, Nietzsche, and Dostoevsky.
D. H. Lawrence summarized Shestov's philosophy by stating his central cry was "Everything is impossible."
Answer: False
Explanation: D. H. Lawrence characterized Shestov's central philosophical tenet as "Everything is possible," interpreting it as a liberation from existential constraints.
Shestov met Edmund Husserl in 1926 and found great philosophical similarities with him.
Answer: False
Explanation: While Shestov met Edmund Husserl in 1926 and maintained a cordial relationship, his profound philosophical similarities were discovered later with Søren Kierkegaard.
Shestov felt Søren Kierkegaard had pursued the rejection of idealism and subjective thought far enough in his own work.
Answer: False
Explanation: Shestov believed that Kierkegaard had not pursued the rejection of idealism and subjective thought far enough, considering it a crucial avenue for philosophical exploration.
Emil Cioran believed Shestov was correct in asserting that true problems often escaped the attention of other philosophers.
Answer: True
Explanation: Emil Cioran acknowledged Shestov's insight that many crucial philosophical problems were overlooked by his contemporaries, who tended to obscure life's genuine torments.
Gilles Deleuze referred to Lev Shestov in his works, including "Nietzsche and Philosophy."
Answer: True
Explanation: Gilles Deleuze cited Lev Shestov in his influential works, such as "Nietzsche and Philosophy," indicating Shestov's impact on Deleuze's thought.
Leo Strauss's book "Jerusalem and Athens" was written independently of Shestov's philosophy.
Answer: False
Explanation: Leo Strauss's work "Jerusalem and Athens" was written, in part, as a direct response to Shestov's "Athens and Jerusalem," demonstrating a significant intellectual engagement.
Which of these Russian intellectuals was NOT part of the circle Shestov joined in 1898?
Answer: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Explanation: While Nikolai Berdyaev, Sergei Diaghilev, and Vasily Rozanov were part of the intellectual circle Shestov joined in 1898, Fyodor Dostoevsky was a significant influence on Shestov's early work but not a contemporary associate in that specific circle.
D. H. Lawrence summarized Shestov's core philosophical idea as:
Answer: Everything is possible.
Explanation: D. H. Lawrence characterized Shestov's central philosophical tenet as "Everything is possible," interpreting it as a liberation from existential constraints.
Upon emigrating to France, Shestov befriended and influenced which notable thinker?
Answer: Georges Bataille
Explanation: After emigrating to France, Lev Shestov formed a significant intellectual connection with Georges Bataille, influencing his thought.
Shestov's meeting with Edmund Husserl in 1929 led him to study which philosopher, with whom he found great similarities?
Answer: Søren Kierkegaard
Explanation: Following a meeting with Edmund Husserl in 1929, Shestov delved into the works of Søren Kierkegaard, discovering profound philosophical resonances.
Shestov felt that Søren Kierkegaard did not pursue certain philosophical ideas far enough, specifically regarding:
Answer: The rejection of idealism and subjective thought.
Explanation: Shestov believed Kierkegaard's exploration of the rejection of idealism and subjective thought was insufficient, representing a critical area for further philosophical exploration.
Emil Cioran believed Shestov was correct in asserting that:
Answer: True problems often escaped the attention of other philosophers.
Explanation: Emil Cioran acknowledged Shestov's insight that many crucial philosophical problems were overlooked by his contemporaries, who tended to obscure life's genuine torments.
Leo Strauss's book "Jerusalem and Athens" was written as a direct response to which of Shestov's works?
Answer: Athens and Jerusalem
Explanation: Leo Strauss's work "Jerusalem and Athens" was written, in part, as a direct response to Shestov's "Athens and Jerusalem," demonstrating a significant intellectual dialogue.
Liza Knapp's book "The Annihilation of Inertia" evaluated Dostoevsky's struggle against what?
Answer: The self-evident 'wall' of rationalism.
Explanation: Liza Knapp's study examined Dostoevsky's struggle against the perceived "wall" of rationalism, referencing Shestov's philosophical alignment.
Shestov believed that reason and metaphysics were fully capable of conclusively establishing truth about ultimate problems, such as the nature of God.
Answer: False
Explanation: Shestov contended that reason and metaphysics are fundamentally incapable of conclusively establishing truth concerning ultimate problems, such as the nature of God or existence.
Shestov argued that true understanding of ultimate realities requires moving beyond reason's constraints to the source of faith.
Answer: True
Explanation: Shestov posited that accessing ultimate realities necessitates transcending the limitations of reason and engaging with the domain of faith.
Shestov's core critique of Western philosophy was that it used reason to place humans and God in subservience to immutable, tyrannical "necessities."
Answer: True
Explanation: Shestov's central critique of Western philosophical traditions posits that reason has been employed to subjugate both humanity and the divine to immutable, often tyrannical, "necessities."
What did Shestov consider the role of "necessity" in philosophical thought?
Answer: A way of thinking that subordinates life to abstract ideas and immutable laws.
Explanation: Shestov viewed "necessity" as a mode of thought that subordinates life to abstract concepts and immutable laws, thereby diminishing its vitality.
According to Shestov, what is the relationship between science and philosophy?
Answer: Science deals with observable facts, while philosophy must address issues beyond scientific resolution.
Explanation: Shestov posited that science addresses observable facts, while philosophy is tasked with confronting issues, such as freedom and immortality, that transcend scientific resolution.
Shestov's critique of Western philosophy's approach to reason stems from its tendency to:
Answer: Place humans and God in subservience to immutable necessities.
Explanation: Shestov criticized Western philosophy for employing reason to subordinate humanity and the divine to immutable, tyrannical necessities.
Lev Shestov significantly influenced thinkers such as Albert Camus, Emil Cioran, and Gilles Deleuze.
Answer: True
Explanation: Lev Shestov's philosophical contributions had a profound impact on subsequent generations of thinkers, including Albert Camus, Emil Cioran, and Gilles Deleuze.
Shestov's limited recognition in the English-speaking world is attributed to the widespread availability of his translated works.
Answer: False
Explanation: Shestov's relative obscurity in the English-speaking world is primarily due to the limited availability of his translated works and the unconventional nature of his philosophical themes.
Which of the following thinkers was NOT significantly influenced by Lev Shestov?
Answer: Immanuel Kant
Explanation: While Shestov influenced figures like Camus, Cioran, and Deleuze, Immanuel Kant predates Shestov and was a subject of critique rather than influence.
Shestov's limited recognition in the English-speaking world is attributed to:
Answer: The unfashionable nature of his themes and lack of availability of his works.
Explanation: Shestov's limited recognition in English-speaking intellectual circles stems from the unconventional nature of his themes and the scarcity of his translated works.