This is the seminal work in which Solovyov developed his religious philosophy. In it he undertakes a critique of positivism by which he understands the entire philosophy of western rationalism which he sees as setting up a conflict between reason and faith, and reason and nature. In the modern period he finds abundant evidence for reason's war against nature in western philosophy from Descartes to Hegel. Positivism , the leading philosophy in his time, Solovyov also finds repungant. In its place, he proposes his great theme of total unity.
