In Vitalogy, being reduces first to living, and being itself reduces first to reason.

Evidence

While the stream of life flows through those individuals (more accurately: flows as these individuals), it dams up in each one of them and becomes a sharply outlined form. Each individual then asserts itself as something complete against other individuals of its kind as well as against the total environment, and does not tolerate any blurring of its boundary. Here lies an ultimate, metaphysically problematic condition of life: that it is boundless continuity and at the same time boundary-determined ego. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 811 (#expands, via linked claim)

Consequently, what remains to us after the annihilation of will, except will again, is assuredly nothing; — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, 79 (#expands, via linked claim)

How can it be that reason denies life, and is at the same time its creator? … I felt that something here was wrong. — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, 104 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Sickness and misfortune are ontologically explained as losses of vital force; Vitalogy differs from natural sciences as a science of lived life — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 234; Life’s essence may reduce to the will to exist. — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, 79 (+4 more)

Related

• In Vitalogy life and being each decline into primary modes (similarity 0.83)
• Vitalogy differs from natural sciences as a science of lived life (similarity 0.81)
• Human reasoning creates a paradox regarding the value of life. (similarity 0.80)
• Sickness and misfortune are ontologically explained as losses of vital force (similarity 0.80)
• Life’s essence may reduce to the will to exist. (similarity 0.80)
• Life is simultaneously boundless continuity and boundary-determined ego (similarity 0.79)
• Life’s essence unifies will-to-life and will-to-power. (similarity 0.79)
• Birth and death are immanent extensions of life itself. (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Life is simultaneously boundless continuity and boundary-determined ego #expands (0.80) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 811
• Life’s essence may reduce to the will to exist. #expands (0.60) — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, 79
• Human reasoning creates a paradox regarding the value of life. #qualifies (0.50) — Leo Tolstoy, A Confession, 104