The search for the philosophical foundations of human existence in R. Goldstein's novel 'The mind-body problem'

The research examines the main problems raised in Goldstein's philosophical novel. The paper aims to reveal how the creation of the characters and the development of the plot in accordance with the philosophical theories of Descartes, Malebranche and Spinoza allow the writer to explore the metaphysical and ethical consequences of following their philosophical ideas in everyday life. Applying the comparative method of analysis to the novel and the classical philosophical texts, the author of the study interprets the text of the novel, rich in symbols and intentionally foregrounded details, and discloses the artistic means used for creating the opposition of the material and the spiritual. Primarily, the confrontation becomes apparent in the image of the central character and her persistent inner conflicts between the rational and the emotional, the publicly displayed and the internal, the objective and the subjective. The main character's failure to achieve life harmony by a mechanical combination of heterogeneous principles is viewed as a crucial detail, with the help of which the writer strives to emphasize the inconsistency of the dualistic worldview in general. One of the possible ways to overcome philosophical dualism is found in Malebranche's philosophy, in which the gap between the material and the spiritual is bridged by their unification in the idea of the primary rational source; however, the concept does not look impeccable, with too much emphasis given to the mind at the expense of the body. The main opportunity to achieve harmony and moral progress is finally associated with Spinoza's philosophical guidelines, which not only assert the importance of the rational cognitive principles and common sense but also demonstrate practical ways to combine freedom and care for another person, emotions and reason.