In the history of philosophy, although his name is indispensable, his ideas are often overlooked in the history of Western philosophy, and he is one of the representatives of classical philosophy, he is the German philosopher Fichte. In addition to his status as a philosopher, he was a writer and, more importantly, a patriot, who sought to awaken the unity of the German nation through literature. Today, we will carefully taste Fichte's ten maxims, experience the profound connotation behind the words, and understand and use them for life.
Fichte was born into a poor family, his father earned money by weaving bags, and when he was 9 years old, he entered school through financial support from neighbors. After entering the university, Fichte was exposed to philosophy, first he studied Spinoza's philosophical thought, and then he studied Kant's philosophy, especially Kant's great influence on his life, and he went to Kant's residence at his own expense to meet the latter. As a professor at the University of Jena, Fichte gave several lectures on Kant's philosophical system and perfected it, which shows the importance of Kant's thought to Fichte's philosophical view.
Later, when the Franco-Prussian War began, Fichte shouldered the heavy responsibility of propagating patriotic feelings, and even after the French occupation of Berlin, he gave a speech calling on the German people to stand up and advocating the establishment of the University of Berlin. After the establishment of the university, he also successfully became the first president. Later, when the Defense of Berlin began and the plague broke out, Fichte and his wife volunteered to join the care of the sick, but unfortunately he and his wife were infected one after another and died on their feet.
As a philosopher, Fichte pursued the unity of philosophical thought, with the ultimate goal of establishing a kingdom of reason. As a patriot, Fichte advocated freedom and reason, praised France, and tried to appeal to the German people to work together to achieve national unity. He was passionate and used words and ideas to stimulate the national integrity and national consciousness of the German people. He resisted aggression, and his shouts, literary works, and philosophical ideas were the spiritual food of the nation in that period, which was of great historical significance.
He was born in a turbulent and vigorous era, a period of talent and controversy, two things that played a crucial role in the formation of his ideas, one was Kant, and the other was the French Revolution. He was an admirer and apologist of the French Revolution, as well as a nationalist, and coupled with the political divisions in Germany at that time, Fichte's patriotic ideas gradually took shape.
Why, then, was Fichte particularly fond of Kant's philosophical ideas? This has a lot to do with the persistence and pursuit in Fichte's thought, which coincides with Kant's thought. It is worth mentioning that Kant's praise of human beings and the pursuit of freedom and equality deeply attracted Fichte, so he insisted that human beings should be free, always centered on the promotion of German nationalism, and believed in the spiritual autonomy of the individual and the ability of nations to self-determination.
Nationalist ideas accounted for a large part in Fichte's philosophical thought, and in his writings he embodied political, economic, and cultural aspects. He believed that the German nation was excellent, unique, and possessed a supreme spirit, while stressing that the purpose of human existence was that human beings needed freedom, and sought to establish the kingdom of reason to which they aspired. In addition, Fichte believed that the rights of the state belonged to all the people and that national rejuvenation could ultimately be achieved.
Of course, in the eyes of scholars, Fichte's ideas are polarized, on the one hand, affirming his patriotism and nationalism, on the other hand, he believes that his concept of nationalism has some limitations and does not apply to the public. On the whole, however, Fichte's ideas are very positive, and he is also a very important transitional man in the history of Germany, in the history of philosophy.
According to records, Fichte was born on May 19, 1762, and today is the 260th anniversary of his birth, so let's enjoy the ten aphorisms of this philosopher who has been neglected in the history of philosophy, understand its ideological connotations and the true meaning of life, and read that you will definitely use it.
The world is self-created, non-self. - Fichte
Faith is by no means knowledge, but a decision of will to make knowledge effective. - Fichte
People prevaricate and stick to things, just to disrespect wonderful things. - Fichte
Nothing is unattainable for the unshakable will. - Fichte
The ego is not enlightened through some other, it is bright, it is the light itself. - Fichte
The true self must be an objectified, manifested concept in the being, and as the Bible says, the Word becomes flesh. - Fichte
Individual propositions become knowledge only in the whole, by their place in the whole, by their relation to the whole. - Fichte
To subordinate all irrational things to oneself, to freely control all irrational things according to one's own inherent laws, is man's ultimate aim. - Fichte
Epistemology should be a practical history of the human spirit. All we have done above is simply to get a portal to this practical history first. - Fichte
What philosophy a person chooses depends on what kind of person he is. For a philosophical system is by no means an inanimate thing that one can choose freely, it is spiritually imbued by the spirit of the person who controls it. - Fichte