In this, perhaps his most important work, Solovyov explores notions of God, goodness, and spirituality, and how he saw the modern world was changing them. What does it mean to be "good"? What, if any, virtues are inherent in humanity? How can we reflect goodness in the practical realms of politics and society on the whole? Solovyov's thoughts on some of the most basic questions we have ever asked are provocative and intriguing; they had a profound influence on the writings of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, as well as the thinkers of the Soviet era. Russian philosopher and literary critic VLADIMIR SERGEYEVICH SOLOVYOV (1853-1900) lived at a vital moment in history, in which the burgeoning modernity of the Industrial Revolution was forever changing how humans live and what we believe. Solovyov spent his lifetime seeking truth-he experimented with and then discarded numerous religious philosophies, including atheism. Eventually, Solovyov settled on Christianity as the best path to goodness and rightness in the world.