System of Transcendental Idealism

The system of transcendental idealism is a 1800 published in Tübingen work of the philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling ( 1775-1854 ). It is a key work of German Idealism and also closes Schelling's philosophical first phase. The philosophy of nature is contrasted with the transcendental philosophy, in order to complete the approach of a "real- idealism ".

Schelling goes on in his book initially from a theoretical consideration of human consciousness, then draws conclusions for human life practice (ethics, history) to end up eventually to formulate a philosophy of art.

Schelling wants with his System of Transcendental Idealism lead the reader to be its own kind of knowledge to be aware of. The aim is that the naive I ( the reader ) is aware that what we call object is taken by ourselves for the subject. Thus, according to Schelling 's our world a construction of the self. He wants to clear up the original erroneous assumption that the naive consciousness assumes that independently of us a world of things exists outside of us. Schelling, like the other Idealists believe that our experienced world is existent only in our consciousness.

See also: On the Philosophy of Schelling

Content

Schelling writes his system as a guide for the implementation of transcendental philosophy by explaining to look through the mechanism of the individual epochs of awareness. Thus, the transcendental philosophy of Schelling, the initial rise of consciousness to the object. It is the free repetition of the original series of actions in which the ego comes to himself.

Structure

Schelling divided his work into main sections, epochs and tasks together with Vorerinnerungen, general comments, additions, Folgeseätzen and resolutions. The structure shown here omitted for clarity over a lot of points.

The central portions of the work are mainly the introduction, in contrast to other work is characterized by rigor, and the third main section, which forms the actual implementation of the outlined in the introduction backbone. Great deal of attention are also the short fifth main section teleology and the sixth to art.

Construction

Schelling begins his work with a structured into paragraphs introduction, which forms as a brief summary of the conceptual foundation of the work. The rest of the work can be considered as the execution and justification of the assumptions made in the introduction.

Schelling builds his system as a development history " which traverses the object of philosophy, to bring the whole edifice of self- consciousness" and divided them in the third main section ( " third main section system of theoretical philosophy according to the principles of transcendental idealism. " ) Into three periods:

In the first epoch ( " From the original sensation to productive self-intuition " ) Schelling explained it at all to create an " inner world " comes from. But he splits the self in two activities, producing a (real) activity, which primarily produces all impressions and is itself an object intuiting ( ideal ) activity. By the ideal activity looks at the real work, this is limited. This is in the act itself, as in the act of viewing, only objects can be viewed. However, an object must be distinguished for its existence sake to others to be thus viewed as an independent object. This definition is taken from the ideal activity as a viewer that is nonetheless a limiting activity and thus limits the real activity. Thus, a distinction is made between calculating them and their sensation in I. The ego realizes that he is perceived is limited, but does not realize it himself takes this limitation. Thus, the sensation ( suffering) appears set as externally, and thus as an object, as a thing in itself. At the end of the period has been shown that there are two activities I. The one activity perceives reality, so produced, however, is limited in this production (objective activity ). The other limited and takes the production of the first set as true reality ( subjective activity ).

In the second period ( "From the productive intuition to reflection "), the ego rises above localized and Narrowing activity and determines the localized activity as inner meaning and the Narrowing as äußerern sense. Thus there is a distinction between extensity (space) and intensity (time). Both form a dialectical unity, each is not without the other imagined. In the second epoch obtained the ego consciousness, but not about themselves, but only on the objects themselves. The ego is not yet able to reflect consciously perceived objects themselves, ie with each other to link to new terms.

The third epoch ( "From reflection to absolute act of will " ) leads to the reflection of the absolute ego. The ego sees itself in its freedom: " The intelligence rises by an absolute act on all lenses .", The reflection is done, however, at first only on the lenses. That the objective world only the outside into the projected self-limitation of the ego is that so I do not yet own. Reflecting involves independent joining of words, but not yet self-knowledge, ie the understanding of the self. than Putting the objective world

The teleology ( 5th main section. Laws of teleology according to the principles of transcendental idealism ) now forms the reflected meeting of the two activities in self-confidence. With Schelling's words: " But if all conscious activity is desirable, it may be that meeting of the conscious and unconscious activity can be detected in only one of these points. " In reflecting on the teleology recognizes the ego that are two activities in him: For a one lens, which reflects the nature and subjective, which interprets the nature and examined for a purpose back. Nature as the object must appear as mechanically without purpose because the lenses no inherent meaning, no meaning. However, the subjective activity in I can see only meaning. Therefore, the nature, as Schelling puts it, " as one that emerges with consciousness work, and yet must appear as a product of the blindest mechanism; it is convenient, but is not useful to explain. "

Teleology is in Schelling's "History of Self-Consciousness ", the last step before the self-consciousness is able to recognize even completely in Art ( 6th main section. Deduction of a general body of philosophy, or laws of the philosophy of art according to the principles of transcendental idealism ). The ego is in the teleology Although already aware that there is a manufacturing and intuitive part of the ego is, however, the unity of the two parts is the first I did in the artwork tangible. In art, the ego takes no longer the objects, but only the sense true. However, the meaning of the art object is the reflection of your own self- consciousness. It therefore has no further meaning in it than that of the viewer look at themselves. In this way, what I Schelling comes in the interpretation of the work of art to no end with the " infinity " or Unausschöpflichkeit in contrast to the observation of the artifact expresses. So "is used here in the work of art that I as a conscious and unconscious itself clearly for themselves." The ego is aware of the object, the absolute unity of subject and object. For in art is about the same as in transcendental philosophy to the " Setting up a world." And since this process is aware of when looking at the work of art, this is also the consideration of the construction of the self.

Expenditure

In the Schelling science will generally resolve after the Sämmtlichen works (SW) cited and less after the page number of the original edition (OA ). The Seitenanangabe for newer editions is completely unusual.

• Schelling's Complete Works (SW ). Schelling, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph, "System of Transcendental Idealism ," in Selected Writings, Selected writings in six volumes, Volume I, Frankfurt am Main, 1985, S.395 -702
• F.W.J. Schelling 's System of Transcendental Idealism, ed. v. Horst D. Brandt and Peter Müller, Hamburg, 2000 (with the pagination of the original edition ).

Secondary literature

• Manfred Frank: An Introduction to Schelling's philosophy, Frankfurt 1985.
• Walter Schulz: Introduction to Schelling's System of Transcendental Idealism, in: FWJ Schelling 's System of Transcendental Idealism, ed. v. Horst D. Brandt and Peter Müller, Hamburg, 2000.