Friedrich Schlegel and the Emergence of Romantic Philosophy

Elizabeth Millán

Description

This book addresses the philosophical reception of early German Romanticism and offers the first in-depth study in English of the movement's most important philosopher, Friedrich Schlegel, presenting his philosophy against the background of the controversies that shaped its emergence. Elizabeth Millán-Zaibert begins by distinguishing early German Romanticism from classical German Idealism, under which it has all too often been subsumed, and then explores Schlegel's romantic philosophy (and his rejection of first principles) by showing how he responded to three central figures of the post-Kantian period in Germany—Jacobi, Reinhold, and Fichte—as well as to Kant himself. She concludes with a comprehensive critique of the aesthetic and epistemological consequences of Schlegel's thought, with special attention paid to his use of irony.
Acknowledgments

Introduction

Philosophy and Early German Romanticism
The Literary Dimensions of Early German Romanticism
Defining Romanticism
Schlegel's Antifoundationalism
Overview

1. Finding Room for the Romantics between Kant and Hegel

Idealism: From Misconceptions to Post-Kantian Variations
Searching for the Unity of Thought and Being: Idealist Jäger versus Romantic Spürhunde
Frank's Romantic Realists versus Beiser's Romantic Idealists
On Why Schlegel Is Not Hegel
Romantic Skepticism

2. Searching for the Grounds of Knowledge

Jacobi's Salto Mortale
Schlegel's Reaction to the Salto
Reinhold's Elementarphilosophie
Aenesidemus and the Shift from Principle to Fact of Consciousness
Fichte's Move from Fact to Act of Consciousness

3. Fichte's Wissenschaftslehre: A Tendency to Be Avoided?

The Foundations of Fichte's Wissenschaftslehre
The Clash between Schmid and Fichte
Fichte and Schlegel on Critical Philosophy
Fichte's Mystical Errors
The Spirit versus the Letter of Fichte's Philosophy

4. Niethammer's Influence on the Development of Schlegel's Skepticism

Niethammer's Skepticism
Niethammer's Appeal to Common Sense
Schlegel's Philosophical Debut
Schlegel's Critique of Niethammer's Appeal to Common Sense
Schlegel's Historical Taxonomy

5. Critique as Metaphilosophy: Kant as Half Critic

Revolution, Scientific Method, and Kant's Critical Project
Critiquing the Critical Philosopher
Away from Kant: Schlegel's Historical Turn

6. Philosophy in Media Res

The Wechselerweis and the Search for Truth
Philosophy "in the Middle":Between Fichte and Spinoza
Destroying the Illusion of the Finite: Schlegel's Critique of the Thing
Wilhelm Meister: Schlegel's Model of Coherence

7. The Aesthetic Consequences of Antifoundationalism

The Modern Spirit of Romanticism
Understanding, Misunderstanding, and Irony
Irony and the Necessity of Poetry

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Esthétique et philosophie de l'art
• Philosophie moderne
• Philosophie générale
• History of philosophy

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791480090
• Langue: English

Extrait

FriedrichSchlegel and the Emergenceof Romantic Philosophy

Elizabeth MillánZaibert

Friedrich Schlegel and the Emergence of Romantic Philosophy

SUNY series, Intersections: Philosophy and Critical Theory Rodolphe Gasché, editor

Friedrich Schlegel and the Emergence of Romantic Philosophy



E M -Z LIZABETH ILLÁN AIBERT

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2007 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press, 194 Washington Avenue, Suite 305, Albany, NY 12210-2384

Production by Judith Block Marketing by Michael Campochiaro

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Millán-Zaibert, Elizabeth. Friedrich Schlegel and the emergence of romantic philosophy / Elizabeth Millán-Zaibert. p. cm. — (SUNY series in intersections—philosophy and critical theory) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-7083-1 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Schlegel, Friedrich von, 1772–1829. 2. Romanticism—Germany. I. Title.

B3086.S54M55 2007 193—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2006021934

For Leo and in memory of my grandmother (1916–2005)

This page intentionally left blank.

Acknowledgments

Contents



Introduction Philosophy and Early German Romanticism The Literary Dimensions of Early German Romanticism Defining Romanticism Schlegel’s Antifoundationalism Overview

1. Finding Room for the Romantics between Kant and Hegel Idealism: From Misconceptions to Post-Kantian Variations Searching for the Unity of Thought and Being: Idealist JägerRomantic versus  Spürhunde Frank’s Romantic Realists versus Beiser’s Romantic Idealists On Why Schlegel Is Not Hegel Romantic Skepticism

2. Searching for the Grounds of Knowledge Jacobi’sMortale Salto Schlegel’s Reaction to the Salto Reinhold’sElementarphilosophie Aenesidemus and the Shift from Principle to Fact of Consciousness Fichte’s Move from Fact to Act of Consciousness

ix

1 1 5 10 18 20

25 28

32 38 44 48

53 54 57 62

65 68

viii

Contents

3. Fichte’sWissenschaftslehre: A Tendency to Be Avoided? The Foundations of Fichte’s Wissenschaftslehre The Clash between Schmid and Fichte Fichte and Schlegel on Critical Philosophy Fichte’s Mystical Errors The Spirit versus the Letter of Fichte’s Philosophy

4. Niethammer’s Influence on the Development of Schlegel’s Skepticism Niethammer’s Skepticism Niethammer’s Appeal to Common Sense Schlegel’s Philosophical Debut Schlegel’s Critique of Niethammer’s Appeal to Common Sense Schlegel’s Historical Taxonomy

5. Critique as Metaphilosophy: Kant as Half Critic Revolution, Scientific Method, and Kant’s Critical Project Critiquing the Critical Philosopher Away from Kant: Schlegel’s Historical Turn

6. Philosophyin Media Res TheWechselerweisand the Search for Truth Philosophy “in the Middle”: Between Fichte and Spinoza Destroying the Illusion of the Finite: Schlegel’s Critique of the Thing Wilhelm Meister:Schlegel’s Model of Coherence

7. The Aesthetic Consequences of Antifoundationalism The Modern Spirit of Romanticism Understanding, Misunderstanding, and Irony Irony and the Necessity of Poetry

Notes Bibliography Index

71 72 75 79 86 91

95 97 101 109

111 114

117 120 122 127

133 134 137

141 150

159 160 165 170

175 231 249

Acknowledgments



y work on Schlegel began in 1993 when I was a graduate student M at the State University of New York, Buffalo. The present book is a rather distant relative of my first attempts to come to terms with Schlegel’s unconventional philosophy. I am grateful to many people who have helped me to develop work in a field that has only recently appeared on the radar screens of philosophers. Manfred Frank, with whom I first began my studies not only of Friedrich Schlegel’s work, but also of the entire ro- mantic constellation, shaped my philosophical development in important ways, and I hope that in the pages of this book, he can read the debt I have to him. I am also grateful to the German Academic Exchange Ser- vice, for the generous graduate fellowship they provided so that I could begin my initial explorations of early German romantic philosophy. Rodolphe Gasché has supported my work from the beginning in many ways, and I am thankful for his support, not only in helping me to develop some of my views but also in helping me find venues to publish my work. I am also grateful to Jorge Gracia, who, while far removed philosophically from figures such as Kant and Schlegel, helped me develop my interests in German philosophy. Newton Garver read the entire manuscript in an earlier form and offered comments that much improved the current work. Barry Smith’s work has always been a source of philosophical insights for me, and despite (perhaps because of) our philosophical differences, I always learn from him. Peter Hare’s comments on an earlier version of the manuscript led me to rethink some of my claims regarding Schlegel’s epistemology. Ronald Hauser led me to my first encounter withWilhelm Meisterand many other German literary treasures, and I will be ever grateful for the path he opened for me to the literary side of German Romanticism.

i

x