LSP German Idealism Reading Group 2017-2018

Dr Meade McCloughan

This course, running over three terms, will focus on two texts:

• Autumn Term: J. G. Fichte, System of Ethical Theory (Spring 1798) [publisher’s webpage]
• Spring Term: F. W. J. Schelling, First Outline of a System of the Philosophy of Nature (1799) [publisher’s webpage]
• Summer Term: to be arranged

The course will be run as a reading group. Participants will be expected to read the assigned text in advance of each session. The tutor will then present an introduction to the material, before going through it and discussing specific points and passages. General discussion welcome!

For introductions to both Fichte and Schelling, see the following:

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Fichte
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Schelling

The fee for each term of the course is £60. Texts will be made available in either electronic or photocopied form.

This will be the fourth year this reading group has met. In previous years, the group has read:

• J. G. Fichte, ‘Review of Aenesidemus’ (February 1794)
• J. G. Fichte, ‘Some Lectures concerning the Scholar's Vocation’ (September 1794)
• J. G. Fichte, ‘Concerning the Difference between the Spirit and the Letter within Philosophy’ (1794)
• J. G. Fichte, ‘Concerning the Concept of the Wissenschaftslehre’ (May 1794)
• J. G. Fichte, Foundations of the Entire Wissenschaftslehre, Parts I & II (September 1794)
• J. G. Fichte, Foundations of the Entire Wissenschaftslehre, Part III (July/August 1795)
• G. F. P. von Hardenberg [Novalis], ‘Fichte Studies’ (1795-1796)
• F. Hölderlin, ‘Being, Judgment, Possibility’; letter to Hegel (January 1795)
• F. W. J. Schelling, ‘Of the I as the Principle of Philosophy’ (March 1795)
• F. W. J. Schelling, ‘Philosophical Letters on Dogmatism and Criticism’ (1795)
• J. G. Fichte, Foundations of Natural Right, Part One (March 1796)
• F. W. J. Schelling, Ideas for a Philosophy of Nature (1797)
• J. G. Fichte, ‘An Attempt at a New Presentation of the Wissenschaftslehre’ (1797-1798)
• F. W. J. Schelling, On the World Soul, A Hypothesis of Higher Physics (May 1798) [extracts]
• G. F. P. von Hardenberg [Novalis], The Novices at Sais (1798-1799)
• G. F. P. von Hardenberg [Novalis], Notes for a Romantic Encyclopaedia: Das Allgemeine Brouillon (1798-1799)