Reason, ideas and their functions in classical German philosophy

Authors

  • Michael Lewin University of Wuppertal, 20, Gaußstraße, Wuppertal, 42119, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu17.2020.101

Abstract

Over the last two decades there has been a growing interest in the transcendental dialectic of Critique of Pure Reason in Germany. Authors, however, often do not pay enough attention to the fact that Kant’s theory of reason (in the narrow sense) and the concept of ideas derived from it is not limited to this text. The purpose of this article is to compare and analyze the functionality of mind as a subjective ability developed by Kant and Fichte with the Hegelian expansion of the mind to the idea of universal rationality. The relevance of such a comparison is connected with the need to demonstrate how the Hegelian paradigm of absolute rationality causes either the subsequent rejection of reason as a philosophical principle in the 19 th and 20 th centuries counter-discourse, or reduction of reason to the concept of pragmatic rationality. In the first part of this paper, the author intends to differentiate between at least 7 different types of ideas and their functions in Kant’s works. In the second part, he demonstrates how Fichte tries to systematize them beginning with reason, which at first creates an idea of itself. Special attention is paid to the way that Fichte categorizes them with the help of 5 spheres of action or 5 worldviews. The third and final part of the article discusses how Hegel goes beyond the frame of the transcendental philosophy of consciousness using different demands linked to the concepts of “reason” and “ideas”. Although these requirements are not found in Kant and Fichte, they entail a set of difficulties, which the author considers in conclusion. The author’s interpretation of the theory of ideas and their functions in Kant, Fichte and Hegel demonstrates the dynamic character of the theories of reason in classical German philosophy, as well as the relevance of the 7 types of ideas that retain their significance for philosophy of the 21 st century.

Keywords:

Kant and German idealism, types of ideas, functions of reason, worldviews, the problem of different demands

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References

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Published

2020-03-31

How to Cite

Lewin, M. (2020). Reason, ideas and their functions in classical German philosophy. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Philosophy and Conflict Studies, 36(1), 4–23. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu17.2020.101

Issue

Vol. 36 No. 1 (2020): Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Philosophy and Conflict Studies

Section

Philosophy

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Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Philosophy and Conflict Studies" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.