The Paradox of Existence: Philosophy and Aesthetics in the Young Schelling (Topoi Library, 5)

This book is not a merely historical reconstruction of Schelling’s thought; its main goal is to provide a contribution for a better comprehension of the importance of the philosophical quest of the young German philosopher from within, which represents a turning point for the whole thought of modernity. I did not describe the various fields of Schelling’s work, but I pointed out the central position of his Aesthetics, through the analysis of the inner mechanisms of his concepts. This mechanism, in my opinion, shows the reason why an Aesthetic philosophy is possible, and why its origin can be traced to Kant’s Aesthetics (particularly in Kant’s Critique of Judgement) and in the speculations of the early post-Kantian philosophy. The young Schelling’s philosophical problems precede his encounter with Fichte’s philosophy. Schelling discovers these problems, related to Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, Wolff, Leibniz and Kant, in the protestant college of the Stift in Tübingen. Fichte confirmed the necessity of an urgent reform of transcendental philosophy, and offered to the young philosopher a philosophical dictionary and an orientation. Schelling exploited these resources with a great degree of autonomy, independence and originality. In these years Hölderlin’s influence on Schelling was much greater. Schelling’s and Hölderlin’s speculations, in these crucial years, were tightly connected.

this Essay Reconstructs Schelling's Philosophical Development During The Years 1794-1800. It Emphasizes The Role Of Kant's Heritage Within Schelling's Early Philosophy, And The Strong Relationship Between Schelling And Hölderlin During Their Tübingen Years. The Central Question It Explores Is How The Absolute Relates To Finiteness - A Relation That Constitutes The Basis Of Transcendental Idealism As Well As The Essence Of A Transcendental Philosophy, Here Radically Understood As A Philosophy Of Finitude And As A Critical Aesthetics. The Essay Shows The Young Schelling As He Presents A Rich And Novel Field Of Inquiry, Which Provides A Credible And Engaging Alternative To Hegelian Thinking And Anticipates Themes From Twentieth-century Philosophy (phenomenology, Existentialism, Critical Thinking). The Volume Thus Provides Both A Historical And A Contemporary Look At Schelling's Early Philosophy, And At Its Original And Speculative Approach.

"This essay reconstructs Schelling's philosophical development during the years 1794-1800. It emphasizes the role of Kant's heritage within Schelling's early philosophy, and the strong relationship between Schelling and Holderlin during their Tubingen years. The central question it explores is how the Absolute relates to Finiteness - a relation that constitutes the basis of transcendental idealism as well as the essence of a transcendental philosophy, here radically understood as a philosophy of finitude and as a critical aesthetics The Dissertation of 1792 on the Origin of Evil....Pages 1-36 Schelling’s Timæus....Pages 37-47 The Essay on the Possibility of a Form of All Philosophy (1794)....Pages 49-57 The Opposition Between the Unconditional....Pages 59-90 The Dramatization of Contrast....Pages 91-113 The Paradox of Opposition....Pages 115-131 Philosophy of Nature....Pages 133-147 The System of Transcendental Idealism (1800)....Pages 149-171 Epilogue on Earth....Pages 173-178 TABLE OF CONTENTS 8 FOREWORD 10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 16 1. THE DISSERTATION OF 1792 ON THE ORIGIN OF EVIL 18 2. SCHELLING鈥橲 TIM脝US 54 3. THE ESSAY ON THE POSSIBILITY OF A FORM OF ALL PHILOSOPHY (1794) 66 4. THE OPPOSITION BETWEEN THE UNCONDITIONAL 76 5. THE DRAMATIZATION OF CONTRAST 108 6. THE PARADOX OF OPPOSITION 132 7. PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE 150 8. THE SYSTEM OF TRANSCENDENTAL IDEALISM (1800) 166 9. EPILOGUE ON EARTH 190 INDEX 196