16. The Hegelian School. Strauss, Feuerbach, &c. 17. Schopenhauer, Reiff, and Planck 18. Phrenology-Gall and Spurzheim Modern English Philosophy Modern French Philosophy. 1. De Maistre, Victor Cousin, Jouffroy, &c. A MANUAL OF THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY. SECTION I. THE history of philosophy, if treated conformably with the end in view, implies an enquiry regarding the conception of the science, coupling with it a view of its contents, form, and end; and also of its scope, method, value, and the various modes in which it may be handled. These objects, together with the history and literature of the history of philosophy, combined with some preliminary remarks on the progress of the philosophizing reason, afford the contents of a general introduction to the history of philosophy. GENERAL INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER I. CHARACTER, EXTENT, METHOD, IMPORTANCE, DIVISION, AND I. Character of the History of Philosophy. + CH. LEONH. REINHOLD, On the Character of the History of Philosophy, in the Collection of Fülleborn; Fasc. I. (12 fasc. Jena, 1791-9). GEO. FRED. DAN. GOESS, Essay on the Character of the History of Philosophy, and on the System of Thales, Erlangen, 1794, 8vo., with a sketch of the proper limits of the History of Philosophy, Leips. 1798, 8vo. *The titles of the German and French works are in most instances given in English, although no translation may have been published. The reader will be governed as to whether the works are English or Foreign by the places where they are printed. B † CHRIST. AUG. GROHMANN, On the Character of the History of Philosophy, Wittenberg, 1797, 8vo. + W. G. TENNEMANN, History of Philosophy, vol. i, Leips. 1798, 8vo. DAN. BOETHIUS, De ideâ Historiæ Philosophiæ rite formandâ, Upsal, 1800, 4to. + FRED. AUG. CARUS, Observations towards a History of Philosophy, Leips. 1809. CH. FRED. BACHMANN, On Philosophy and its History; three Academic lectures; Jena, 1811, 8vo. On the History of Philosophy, second edition, remodelled, with a dedication to Reinhold, Jena, 1820, 8vo. CHRIST. AUG. BRANDIS, On the Character of the History of Philosophy, Copenhagen, 1815, 8vo. + H. RITTER, Introduction to his History of Philosophy (contained in vol. i. of Ritter's History of Philosophy, translated by A. J. W. MORRISON, 4 vols. 8vo. Oxford and London, BOHN, 1838--1846.) 2. Man, from the constitution of his reason, strives after systematic completeness in his knowledge, and consequently seeks to attain to a science of the ultimate principles and laws of nature and freedom, as also of their mutual relations. In the first instance he is impelled in this course by a blind instinct, without duly appreciating the problem and office of reason; and knows not in what way, by what means, or to what extent the end is to be attained. Gradually his efforts become more enlightened, and are determined in accordance with the progressive development of self-knowledge through the reason. This effort of reflection is named the act of philosophizing. 3. Various attempts of thinkers result from this endea vour to approximate to this Idea of reason, or to realize it in thought. These attempts differ more or less from each other as regards their principles, method, logical consequence, their result, and the scope and general character of their objects. The thinking reason developes itself in conformity to its own law in these attempts, which, when they present themselves in a perfectly scientific form, are entitled Philosophical Systems. The value of these systems naturally varies according to the degree of intellectual culture, and to the point of view of the several speculators, and of the age in which they lived. 1 WEILLER, Kajet. über das Verhältniss der Philos. Versuche zur Philos. (Schulschrift, 1812) in dem zweit. Bd. der akad. Reden und Abhandlungen, 1822, 8vo. 4. But the development of human reason is not called forth without external excitement; it is consequently dependent on external causes, since its activity is either favoured or impeded by the various impulses it receives from without. 5. The history of philosophy consists, in fact, in the chronicling of the multifarious efforts to realize this Idea of reason as regards substance and form. It shews how these efforts sprang from the development of reason, and how they were promoted or checked by external causes in endeavouring to give a footing to philosophy as a science. 6. The material with which the history of philosophy has to deal is internul and external. The internal or immediate material comprises, in the first place, the continued application of reason to the investigation of the ultimate principles and laws of Nature and Liberty; for the act of philosophizing consists in this. And here great distinctions are to be traced in regard to subject and object, to the extensive application and intensive force of the philosophizing energy,to internal aims and motives (noble or interested) as also to external causes and occasions. This material comprises, secondly; the products of the act of philosophizing, or the philosophical Opinions, Methods, and Systems, which are quite as manifold as the efforts from which they proceed. The reason obtains, through these means, continually, more genuine materials for philosophy as a science, as well as rules and principles for the welding of the same into a scientific whole, besides Maxims to direct our search for Philosophy. Thirdly, it comprehends the development of the Reason, as the organ of philosophy, or, in other words, the impulse of reason to spontaneous research according to fixed laws, by means of an internal instinct and external occasions. In this development will be traced the gradual progress manifested by individuals, by nations, and the thinking The philosophical signification of subject and object, in German Metaphysics, may be popularly defined as identical with spirit or mind, i.e. the percipient, and nature, or the thing perceived. In a strict sense the subject is the Ego, or percipient, which may become its own object, as the Me, as well as other things. Schelling and Hegel identify the subject and object (Identitätslehre), but Kant drew a marked line of separation between them -See Preface. portion of mankind; thus constituting an important anthropological phase of the history of philosophy. The history of philosophical systems does not amount to a history of philosophy. 7. The external material consists in those causes, events, and circumstances, which have exerted an influence on the development of philosophic reason, and the character of its produce. Amongst these we may enumerate: first, the individuality of the philosopher; i. e. the degree, the relation, and the tendency of their intellectual powers, the sphere of their thoughts and lives, the interests that governed them, and even their moral character. Secondly may be noticed, the influence of external circumstances on this individuality, such as the character and the degree of mental cultivation of their respective countries, the prevailing spirit of the age, and, more remotely perhaps, the climate and constitution of the country, education, political government, religion, and language.3 In the third place we may enumerate the influence of individuals (through the medium of admiration and imitation of their example) on the interests, the tendency, the peculiar objects, the shape, and method of succeeding researches. This influence is variously modified according to the intellectual character, to the consideration and celebrity of the schools that were established, and according to writings, their form and contents. (Bacon, Locke, Leibnitz.) 8. The form of the history of philosophy consists in the suitable arrangement of these two classes of materials, so as to make one scientific whole. Nevertheless, the result is modified, partly by the end of history in general, and partly by the special end of the history of philosophy. 9. History, in its most limited sense, is distinguished, as respects form, from mere annals and memoirs, &c., by the concatenation of events and their scientific exposition; i. e. the laws that govern their development. 1 On the influence of climate and country on thought, see HERDER'S Philosophy of the History of Man. An English translation, 2 vols. 8vo., appeared in 1803. For the influence of religion on philosophy, see FR. V. SCHLEGEL'S Philosophy of History. A translation by ROBERTSON, Bohu, 1850. PABST'S Der Mensch und seine Geschichte, 8vo. Wien, 1847. 3 For the influence of Language on philosophy, see W. v. HUMBOLDT'S Sprachwissenschaft, 1 vol. 4to. Berlin, 1848. |