Fichte (Adamson)

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Fichte (1881)
by Robert Adamson

Chapter 1

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a biography

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Philosophical Classics for English Readers

EDITED BY

WILLIAM KNIGHT, LL.D.
PROFESSOR OF MORAL PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS

FICHTE

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FICHTE

BY

ROBERT ADAMSON, M. A.

PROFESSOR OF LOGIC IN THE OWENS COLLEGE,
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY, MANCHESTER

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS
EDINBURGH AND LONDON
MDCCCLXXXI

PREFATORY NOTE.

The account of Fichte’s system in the latter part of this volume has no pretensions to be regarded as more than an introduction to his philosophy. When it is remembered that Fichte’s works appear in eleven substantial volumes, and that many of them are elaborate and detailed expositions of special branches of philosophy in general, it will be evident that a summary or compressed statement would have but small value, and that a short sketch must of necessity be introductory in character.

I have to thank Dr William Smith for the kind permission to use his translations of certain of Fichte’s works. The passage quoted from the ‘Reden,’ is taken, with one or two verbal alterations, from his ‘Memoir of Fichte.’

The delay in the appearance of this volume of the series of ‘Philosophical Classics’ is due to causes for which I am alone responsible.

R. ADAMSON.

The Owens College, June 1881.

CONTENTS.

CHAP.			PAGE
I.	INTRODUCTORY, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		1
II.	YOUTH AND EARLY STRUGGLES, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		8
III.	THE JENA PROFESSORSHIP, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		41
IV.	BERLIN AND THE WAR OF LIBERATION,, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		65
	1.	FRIENDS AND LITERARY ACTIVITY AT BERLIN (1799-1806.)
	2.	FALL AND REGENERATION OP PRUSSIA: THE BERLIN UNIVERSITY.
	3.	WAR OF LIBERATION: DEATH OF FICHTE.
V.	GENERAL IDEA OF FICHTE'S PHILOSOPHY, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		105
VI.	"WISSENSCHAPTSLEHRE" IN ITS EARLIER FORM, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		125
	1.	DOGMATISM AND IDEALISM.
	2.	HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS: SPINOZA AND KANT.
	3.	FIRST PRINCIPLES.
	4.	DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM.
VII.	LATER FORM OF THE "WISSENSCHAFTSLEHRE," . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		189
VIII.	CONCLUDING REMARKS, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		214

This work was published before January 1, 1931, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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