Schelling's philosophy, which developed and at the same time criticized the ideas of his predecessor Fichte, is a complete system consisting of three parts - theoretical, practical and substantiation of theology and art. In the first of these, the thinker explores the problem of how to derive an object from a subject. In the second - the ratio of freedom and necessity, conscious and unconscious activity. And finally, in the third - he considers art as a weapon and the completion of any philosophical system. Therefore, we will consider here the main points of his theory and the periods of development and folding of the main ideas. The philosophy of Fichte and Schelling was of great importance for the formation of romanticism, the national German spirit, and subsequently played a huge role in the emergence of existentialism.
The beginning of the way
The future brilliant representative of classical thought in Germany was born in 1774 in the family of a pastor. He graduated from the University of Jena. The French revolution greatly pleased the future philosopher, since he saw in it a movement of social progress and the liberation of man. But, of course, interest in modern politics was not central to the life that Schelling led. Philosophy has become his leading passion. He was interested in the contradiction in the theory of knowledge of modern science, namely, the differences in the theories of Kant, who emphasized subjectivity, and Newton, who saw the object as the main one in scientific research. Schelling begins to seek the unity of the world. This aspiration runs through all the philosophical systems he created.
First period
The development and folding of the Schelling system is usually divided into several stages. The first of them is devoted to natural philosophy. The worldview that prevailed among the German thinker during this period was expounded by him in the book Ideas of a Philosophy of Nature. There he summed up the discoveries of modern natural history. In the same work, he criticized Fichte. Nature is not at all material for the realization of such a phenomenon as “I”. It is an independent, self-conscious whole, and is developing according to the principle of teleology. That is, it carries within itself the germ of this “I”, which “sprouts” from it, like an ear of grain. During this period, Schelling's philosophy began to include some dialectical principles. There are certain steps between opposites (“polarities”), and differences between them can be smoothed out. As an example, Schelling cited plant and animal species that can be assigned to either group. Every movement comes from contradictions, but at the same time it is a development of the world Soul.
Philosophy of transcendental idealism
The study of nature prompted Schelling to even more radical ideas. He wrote a work entitled "The System of Transcendental Idealism", where he again returns to rethinking Fichte's ideas about nature and the "I". Which of these phenomena should be considered primary? If we proceed from natural philosophy, then nature seems to be such. If you take the position of subjectivity, then the primary should be considered "I". Here, Schelling’s philosophy takes on a specific character. After all, in fact, what is nature? We call our environment. That is, the "I" creates itself, feelings, perceptions, thinking. The whole world, separate from itself. "I" creates art and science. Therefore, logical thinking is inferior. It is a product of the mind, but also in nature we see traces of the rational. The main thing in us is the will. It forces both mind and nature to develop. The highest in the activity of the “I” is the principle of intellectual intuition.
Overcoming the contradiction between subject and object
But all of the above positions did not satisfy the thinker, and he continued to develop his ideas. The next stage of his scientific work is characterized by the work "The exposition of my system of philosophy." It has already been said that the parallelism existing in the theory of knowledge (“subject-object”) was what Schelling opposed. The philosophy of art was presented to him as a role model. And the existing theory of knowledge did not fit him. How are things in reality? The purpose of art is not an ideal, but the identity of the subject and the object. So it should be in philosophy. On this basis, he builds his own idea of unity.
Schelling: philosophy of identity
What are the problems of modern thinking? The fact that we are mainly dealing with the philosophy of the object. In its coordinate system, as Aristotle pointed out, "A = A". But in the philosophy of the subject, everything is different. Then A may be equal to B, and vice versa. It all depends on what the components are. To combine all these systems, you need to find the point where it all coincides. Schelling's philosophy sees Absolute Reason as such a starting point. He is the identity of spirit and nature. It represents a certain point of indifference (in it all polarities coincide). Philosophy should be a kind of "organon" - an instrument of the Absolute Mind. The latter is Nothing, with the potential to turn into Something, and, pouring out and creating, is split into the Universe. Therefore, nature is logical, has a soul, and in general, is a petrified mind.
In the last period of his work, Schelling began to explore the phenomenon of Absolute Nothing. It, in his opinion, was originally a unity of spirit and nature. This new Schelling philosophy can be briefly described as follows. There must be two principles in Nothing - God and the abyss. Schelling calls it the term Ungrunt taken from Eckhart. The abyss has an irrational will, and it leads to the act of "falling out", separation of principles, the realization of the universe. Then nature, developing and releasing its potencies, creates the mind. Its climax is philosophical thinking and art. And they can help a person to return to God again.
Philosophy of revelation
This is another problem that Schelling posed. German philosophy, however, like any other system of thought prevailing in Europe, is an example of a "negative worldview." Guided by him, science explores the facts, and they are dead. But there is also a positive worldview - a philosophy of revelation that can understand what the self-consciousness of the Mind is. Having reached the end, she will comprehend the truth. It is the self-awareness of God. And how can this Absolute be embraced by philosophy ? God, according to Schelling, is infinite, and at the same time, he can become limited, being in human form. That was Christ. Having come to such views at the end of his life, the thinker began to criticize the ideas about the Bible that he shared in his youth.
Schelling's philosophy briefly
Having thus set forth the periods in the development of the ideas of this German thinker, the following conclusions can be drawn. Schelling considered contemplation as the main method of cognition and practically ignored reason. He criticized empiricism-based thinking. Classical German philosophy of Schelling believed that the main result of experiential knowledge is law. And the corresponding theoretical thinking deduces the principles. Natural philosophy is higher than empirical knowledge. It exists before any theoretical thinking. Its basic principle is the unity of being and spirit. Matter is nothing but the result of the actions of the Absolute Mind. Therefore, nature is in balance. Her knowledge is a fact of the existence of the world, and Schelling raised the question of how her comprehension became possible.