The understanding of Dostoyevsky's existentialism and its effect on Abai Kunanbayev

The thesis titled ?The Understanding of Dostoyevsky?s Existentialism and Its Effect on Abai Kunanbayev ? is composed of three main chapters, Introduction and Conclusion. ?Chapter I? gives information about the emergence of Existentialism as a philosophical current and systematically deals with its main topics from the perspective the chief representatives of Existentialism.In ?Chapter II?, the life of Dostoyevsky, his works and existentialist thoughts are examined in a systematic way. In this sense, each of Dostoyevsky?s understanding of science, education, nationalism, pain, grief, sorrow, religion, and freedom is analyzed under different titles. Also, under the title ?Religion?, I separately examine his approach to those who denies the existence of God, his view accepting the existence of God, and his ideas about believing in Christianity as a religion. Since he discusses philosophical problems by the heroes in his novels, I touch his novels in my study. Although all works of Dostoyevsky are examined in my thesis, I give more attention to his Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons, The Brothers Karamazov, Notes from Underground, and A Writer?s Diary.In ?Chapter III?, as Dostoyevksy part, Abai Kunanbaev are examined. On the other hand, I display the effects of Dostoyevsky and Kazakh culture on Kunanbaev related to topics mentioned above. In order to properly evaluate Kunanbaev, this study provides information on the contemporary Kazakhistan in terms of social and political dimensions.In the study, I primarily use his ?Qara Sözder? (The Book of Words) to get his ideas. One of the difficulties of this thesis study being the first philosophical academic work on Abai Kunanbaev in Turkey is the lack of Turkish sources. Thus, I have tried to use all sources including Internet as much as the written sources.