lest it should cause him pain by its fall, and no one, not even the most scientific of men, could escape this impression. Complete liberty will come about only when it will be immaterial to man whether he lives or not: that is the aim. The second cause and the most serious one that prevents men from committing suicide, is the idea of another world. For the sake of clearness I will here quote Kirilov’s conversation on this subject with the narrator of the story, which is told in the first person: “... That is to say, punishment?” says his interlocutor. “No, that is nothing--simply the idea of another world.” “Are there not atheists who already disbelieve in another world?” Kirilov was silent. “You perhaps judge by yourself.” “Every man can judge only by himself,” said Kirilov, blushing. “Complete liberty will come about when it will be entirely immaterial to man whether he lives or whether he dies: that is the aim of everything.” “The aim? Then nobody will be able or will wish to live.” “Nobody,” he answered. “Man fears death, and therefore loves life,” I remarked. “That is how I understand the matter, and thus has Nature ordained.” “That is a base idea, and therein lies the whole imposture. Life is suffering, life is fear, and man is unhappy. Everything now is in pain and terror. Man loves life now, because he loves pain and terror. Thus has he been made. Man gives his life now for pain and fear, and therein lies the whole imposture. Man is not at present what he ought to be. A new man will rise, happy and proud, to whom it will be immaterial whether he lives or dies. That will be the new man. He who vanquishes pain and fear, he will be God, and the other gods will no longer exist.” “Then, according to you, the other God does exist?” “He exists without existing. In the stone there is no pain, but in the fear of the stone there is pain. God is the pain which arises from the fear of death. He who vanquishes the pain and the fear, he will be God. Then there will be a new life, a new man, everything new. Then history will be divided into two parts. From the gorilla to the destruction of God, and from the destruction of God to....” “To the gorilla...?” “To the physical transformation of man and of the world. Man will be God, and will be transformed physically.” “How do you think man will be transformed physically?” “The transformation will take place in the world, in thought, sentiments, and actions.” “If it will be immaterial to men whether they live or die, then men will all kill each other. That is perhaps the form the transformation will take?”