Paper Summary:

This paper discusses Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, "Crime and Punishment," claiming it to be a critique of the super-rationalism of the 18th century Enlightenment, particularly the philosophies of J.S. Mill and Rousseau. The focus of this paper is Dostoevsky's use of Raskolnikov to expose fundamental flaws in Mill's utilitarianism and Rousseau's concept of natural man. The paper examines how he does this by using Raskolnikov as a representation of a typical psyche and by relying on an intuitive argument to show the inability of these philosophies to reflect empirical evidence.

From the Paper:

"The character of Raskolnikov exposes flaws in Mill's utilitarianism and Rousseauvian philosophy. Dostoevsky's philosophy is unique and radically different from the prevailing ideas of eighteenth century enlightenment because of its reliance on the existence of certain truths common to the psyche of man, instead of a focus on rationality, coupled with the exclusion of other psychological elements. Raskolnikov's two major conflicts are between the rational and emotional portions of his personality and, stemming from this, his tendency to both lament and perpetuate his separation from society. His inability to reconcile these opposing facets of his being results in the great imbalance in his life."

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