Fate of Reason

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

• * 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

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.