按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
be Kantian philosophers and not yet to have sought the source of knowledge。 From this the result
is that the Truth could not be known。
Of compendiums； three have to be noticed。 1。 Frederick Aft's Grundriss einer Geschichte der
Philosophie。 （Landshut 1807； 8； second edition； 1825） is written from a better point of view； the
Philosophy is that of Schelling for the most part； but it is somewhat confused。 Aft by some formal
method has distinguished ideal philosophy from real。 2。 Professor Wendt's G？ttingen edition of
Tennemann （fifth edition； Leipzig； 1828； 8）。 It is astonishing to see what is represented as being
Philosophy； without any consideration as to whether it has any meaning or not。 Such so…called
new philosophies grow like mushrooms out of the ground。 There is nothing easier than to
comprehend in harmony with a principle； but it must not be thought that hence something new and
profound has been accomplished。 3。 Rirner's Handbuch der Geschichte der Philosophie； 3
vols。； Sulzbach； 1822…1823； 8 （second amended edition； 1829） is most to be commanded； and
yet I will not assert that it answers all the requirements of a History of Philosophy。 There are many
points which leave much to desire； but the appendices to each volume in which the principal
original authorities are quoted； are particularly excellent for their purpose。 Selected extracts； more
specially from the ancient philosophers； are needed； and these would not be lengthy； since there
are not very many passages to be given from the philosophers before Plato。
3。 Method of Treatment Adopted in this History of Philosophy。
As regards external history I shall only touch upon that which is the concern of universal history；
the spirit or the principle of the times； and hence I will treat of conditions of life in reference to the
outstanding philosophers。 Of philosophies； however； only those are to be made mention of the
principles of which have caused some sensation； and through which science has made an advance；
hence I shall put aside many names which would be taken up in a learned treatise； but which are of
little value in respect to Philosophy。 The history of the dissemination of a doctrine； its fate； those
who have merely taught a particular doctrine； I pass over； as the deduction of the whole world
from one particular principle。
The demand that in Philosophy an historian should have no system； should put into the philosophy
nothing of his own； nor assail it with his ideas； seems a plausible one。 The history of Philosophy
should show just this impartiality； and it seems； in so far that to give only summaries of the
philosophers proves a success。 He who understands nothing of the matter； and has no system； but
merely historic knowledge； will certainly be impartial。 But political history has to be carefully
distinguished from the history of Philosophy。 That is to say； though in the former； one is not indeed
at liberty to limit oneself to representing the events chronologically only； one can yet keep to what
is entirely objective； as is done in the Homeric epic。 Thus Herodotus and Thucydides； as free men；
let the objective world do freely and independently as it would； they have added nothing of their
own； neither have they taken and judged before their tribunal the actions which they represented。
Yet even in political history there is also a particular end kept in view。 In Livy the main points are
the Roman rule； its enlargement； and the perfecting of the constitution； we see Rome arise； defend
itself； and exercise its mastery。 It is thus that the self…developing reason in the history of Philosophy
makes of itself an end； and this end is not foreign or imported； but is the matter itself； which lies at
the basis as universal； and with which the individual forms of themselves correspond。 Thus when
the history of Philosophy has to tell of deeds in history； we first ask； what a deed in Philosophy is；
and whether any particular thing is philosophic or not。 In external history everything is in
action…certainly there is in it what is important and that which is unimportant…but action is the idea
immediately placed before us。 This is not the case in Philosophy； and on this account the history of
Philosophy cannot be treated throughout without the introduction of the historian's views。
MODERN PHILOSOPHY
INTRODUCTION
IF we cast a glance back over the period just traversed； we find that in it a turning…point had been
reached； that the Christian religion had placed its absolute content in the mind and will of man； and
that it was thus； as a divine and supersensuous content； separated from the world and shut up
within itself in the centre…point of the individual。 Over against the religious life an external world
stood as a natural world … a world of heart or feeling； of desire； of human nature … which had value
only in as far as it was overcome。 This mutual independence of the two worlds had much attention
bestowed on it throughout the Middle Ages； the opposition was attacked on all quarters and in the
end overcome。 But since the relation of mankind to the divine life exists upon earth； this conquest
at first presented the appearance of bringing with it the destruction of the church and of the eternal
through the sensuous desires of man。 The eternal truth was likewise grafted upon the dry； formal
understanding； so that we might say that the separation of self…consciousness has in itself
disappeared； and thereby a possibility has been given of obtaining reconciliation。 But because this
implicit union of the Beyond and the Here was of so unsatisfactory a nature that the better feelings
were aroused and forced to turn against it； the Reformation made its appearance； partly； no doubt；
as a separation from the Catholic Church； but partly as a reformation from within。 There is a
mistaken idea that the Reformation only effected a separation from the Catholic Church； Luther
just as truly reformed the Catholic Church； the corruption of which one learns from his writings；
and from the reports of the emperors and of the empire to the Pope； if further evidence be
required； we need only read the accounts given even by the Catholic bishops； the Fathers of the
councils at Constance； Basle； &c。； of the condition of the Catholic priesthood and of the Roman
Court。 The principle of the inward reconciliation of spirit； which was in itself the very Idea of
Christianity； was thus again estranged； and appeared as a condition of external； unreconciled
alienation and discord； this gives us an example of the slow operation of the world…spirit in
overcoming this externality。 It eats away the inward substance； but the appearance； the outward
form； still remains； at the end； however； it is an empty shell； the new form breaks forth。 In such
times this spirit appears as if it … having so far proceeded in its development at a snail's pace； and
having even retrograded and become estranged from itself … had suddenly adopted seven…leagued
boots。
Since thus the reconciliation of self…consciousness with the present is implicitly accomplished； man
has attained to confidence in himself and in his thought；