Ideas of Johann Fichte, by Theme
[German, 1762 - 1814, Born Leipzig. Taught at the University of Jena. In 1810 the first Professor of Philosophy at the new University of Berlin.]
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1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 5. Aims of Philosophy / a. Philosophy as worldly
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21970
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Philosophy attains its goal if one person feels perfect accord between their system and experience
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2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 5. Objectivity
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22024
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Fichte's subjectivity struggles to then give any account of objectivity [Pinkard]
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2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 7. Status of Reason
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6912
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For Fichte there is no God outside the ego, and 'our religion is reason' [Feuerbach]
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2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 8. Naturalising Reason
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23247
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The need to act produces consciousness, and practical reason is the root of all reason
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2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 2. Sufficient Reason
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23232
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Sufficient reason makes the transition from the particular to the general
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5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 2. Logical Connectives / c. not
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22017
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Normativity needs the possibility of negation, in affirmation and denial [Pinkard]
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8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 1. Nature of Properties
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23227
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Each object has a precise number of properties, each to a precise degree
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8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 2. Powers as Basic
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23228
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The principle of activity and generation is found in a self-moving basic force
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10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 4. Necessity from Concepts
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22018
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Necessary truths derive from basic assertion and negation [Pinkard]
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11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 3. Idealism / a. Idealism
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22062
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Mental presentation are not empirical, but concern the strivings of the self
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11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 3. Idealism / b. Transcendental idealism
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22015
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The thing-in-itself is an empty dream [Pinkard]
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22064
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Fichte's logic is much too narrow, and doesn't deduce ethics, art, society or life [Schlegel,F]
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21973
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Fichte believed in things-in-themselves [Moore,AW]
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21914
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We can deduce experience from self-consciousness, without the thing-in-itself
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23241
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I am myself, but not the external object; so I only sense myself, and not the object
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11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 3. Idealism / d. Absolute idealism
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22032
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Fichte's key claim was that the subjective-objective distinction must itself be subjective [Pinkard]
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20951
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The absolute I divides into consciousness, and a world which is not-I [Bowie]
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21964
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Reason arises from freedom, so philosophy starts from the self, and not from the laws of nature
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21968
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Abandon the thing-in-itself; things only exist in relation to our thinking
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21966
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Self-consciousness is the basis of knowledge, and knowing something is knowing myself
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21967
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There is nothing to say about anything which is outside my consciousness
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21969
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Awareness of reality comes from the free activity of consciousness
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12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 6. Inference in Perception
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23231
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I immediately know myself, and anything beyond that is an inference
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12. Knowledge Sources / E. Direct Knowledge / 2. Intuition
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23246
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Faith is not knowledge; it is a decision of the will
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13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 4. Foundationalism / b. Basic beliefs
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23245
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Knowledge can't be its own foundation; there has to be regress of higher and higher authorities
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15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 1. Mind / c. Features of mind
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23242
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Consciousness has two parts, passively receiving sensation, and actively causing productions
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15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 4. Other Minds / a. Other minds
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22020
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We only see ourselves as self-conscious and rational in relation to other rationalities
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15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 7. Blindsight
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23240
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We can't know by sight or hearing without realising that we are doing so
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16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 4. Presupposition of Self
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22060
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The Self is the spontaneity, self-relatedness and unity needed for knowledge [Siep]
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22066
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Novalis sought a much wider concept of the ego than Fichte's proposal [Novalis]
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22016
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The self is not a 'thing', but what emerges from an assertion of normativity [Pinkard]
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23243
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Consciousness of external things is always accompanied by an unnoticed consciousness of self
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16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 6. Self as Higher Awareness
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22019
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Consciousness of an object always entails awareness of the self
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16. Persons / D. Continuity of the Self / 6. Body sustains Self
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22063
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Effective individuals must posit a specific material body for themselves
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16. Persons / F. Free Will / 1. Nature of Free Will
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23244
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Forming purposes is absolutely free, and produces something from nothing
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23237
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The capacity for freedom is above the laws of nature, with its own power of purpose and will
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16. Persons / F. Free Will / 2. Sources of Free Will
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23235
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I want independent control of the fundamental cause of my decisions
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16. Persons / F. Free Will / 4. For Free Will
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21965
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Spinoza could not actually believe his determinism, because living requires free will
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17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 3. Panpsychism
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23230
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Nature contains a fundamental force of thought
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18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 6. Judgement / a. Nature of Judgement
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22061
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Judgement is distinguishing concepts, and seeing their relations [Siep]
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20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / a. Will to Act
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23233
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The will is awareness of one of our inner natural forces
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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / e. Human nature
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23234
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I cannot change the nature which has been determined for me
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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / g. Will to power
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23239
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The self is, apart from outward behaviour, a drive in your nature
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / d. Subjective value
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22023
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Fichte's idea of spontaneity implied that nothing counts unless we give it status [Pinkard]
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / g. Love
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23238
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If life lacks love it becomes destruction
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23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 6. Authentic Self
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23236
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Freedom means making yourself become true to your essential nature
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26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 1. Nature
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22065
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Fichte reduces nature to a lifeless immobility [Schlegel,F]
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23229
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Nature is wholly interconnected, and the tiniest change affects everything
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