Fate of Reason

Frederick C. Beiser is Professor of Philosophy at Syracuse University.

In undertaking this survey of the course pursued by German philosophy during the concluding decades of the eighteenth century, Frederick C. Beiser has produced a far-ranging and carefully documented contribution to the history of ideas… [A] scholarly, richly illustrated and well-integrated account of a fascinating moment in the history of thought.

• * Introduction *1. Kant, Hamann, and the Rise of the Sturm und Drang * A. Hamann's Historical and Philosophical Significance * B. The London Conversion and Its Philosophical Consequences * C. The Summer of 1759: The Stirrings of the Sturm und Drang * D. The Sokratische Denkwurdigkeiten * E. Kant, Hamann, and the Optimism Controversy * F. The Kinderphysik Fiasco * G. Aesthetica in nuce and Eighteenth-Century Aesthetics * H. The "Metakritik": Genesis, Contents, and Consequences *2. Jacobi and the Pantheism Controversy * A. The Historical Significance of the Pantheism Controversy * B. The Rise of Spinozism in Germany, 1680--1786 * C. The Dispute over Lessing's Spinozism * D. The Philosophical Significance of the Controversy * E. Jacobi's First Critique of Reason * F. Jacobi's Second Critique of Reason * G. Jacobi's Defense of Faith *3. Mendelssohn and the Pantheism Controversy * A. Mendelssohn's Place in the History of Philosophy * B. In Defense of Reason * C. Mendelssohn's Nightmare, or, the Method of Orientation * D. The Critique of Spinozism and Purified Pantheism * E. Mendelssohn's Covert Critique of Kant *4. Kant, Jacobi, and Wizenmann in Battle * A. Thomas Wizenmann's Resultate * B. Kant's Contribution to the Pantheism Controversy * C. Wizenmann's Reply to Kant * D. Jacobi's Attack on Kant *5. Herder's Philosophy of Mind * A. Herder and the Eighteenth-Century Philosophy of Mind * B. Herder on the Origin of Language * C. Hamann and Herder's Debate over the Origin of Language * D. Herder's Genetic Method * E. The Principles of Herder's Vitalism * F. Kant's Quarrel with Herder * G. The Kant--Herder Controversy and the Origins of the Third Kritik * H. Herder and the Pantheism Controversy *6. The Attack of the Lockeans * A. Popularphilosophie: A Sketch of a Movement * B. Highlights of the Lockean Campaign against Kant * C. The Garve Affair * D. Two Early Critics: C.G. Selle and D. Tiedemann * E. The Lockean Ringleader, J.C. Feder * F. Feder's Circle: A.G. Tittel and A. Weishaupt * G. The Good Pastor Pistorius *7. The Revenge of the Wolffians * A. Leitmotivs of the Wolffian Campaign * B. Revolution versus Reaction * C. The Wolffian Defense of Metaphysics * D. The Thorn in Kant's Side, J.A. Ulrich * E. The Scrooge of Tubingen, J.F. Flatt * F. Platner's Meta-Critical Skepticism * G. The Eberhard Controversy * H. The Consequences of the Wolfflan Campaign *8. Reinhold's Elementarphilosophie * A. Reinhold's Historical Significance * B. Reinhold's Early Quarrel with Kant * C. Reinhold's Briefe and Conversion to the Critical Philosophy * D. The Path toward the Elementarphilosophie * E. Reinhold's Critique of Kant and the Aims of the Elementarphilosophie * F. Reinhold's Methodology * G. Reinhold's Phenomenological Project * H. Reinhold's Proposition of Consciousness and the New Theory of Representation * I. The Crisis of the Elementarphilosophie *9. Schulze's Skepticism * A. Schulze's Historical Significance and Influence * B. Schulze's Meta-Critical Skepticism * C. The Critique of Reinhold * D. The Meta-Critique of Kant * E. Strengths and Weaknesses of Schulze's Skepticism *10. Maimon's Critical Philosophy * A. Maimon's Historical Significance and the Question of the Unity of His Thought * B. Maimon's Skepticism * C. The Idea of an Infinite Understanding * D. The Theory of Differentials * E. The New Theory of Space and Time * F. The Critical Middle Path * G. The Elimination of the Thing-in-Itself * H. Maimon's Transcendental Logic * I. The Principle of Determinability * J. Maimon's Controversy with Reinhold * K. Maimon versus Schulze * Conclusion * Notes * Bibliography * Index