The hypothesis of nature's logic in Schelling's Naturphilosophie

Grant, Iain Hamilton

Abstract

Schelling’s Naturphilosophie is either considered one of several phases through which his philosophy passed or, as Schelling repeatedly states, it is “one side of philosophy” until at least 1830 and, since he wrote his last work on the subject in 1844, remains a constant focus of his philosophical trajectory from beginning to end. Even if the Naturphilosophie is a constant philosophical presence, however, this does not warrant the ascription of a consistency to it that it may turn out to lack, nor suggest that Schelling pursues just one method in his investigations under that rubric. Yet if we accept Schelling’s testimony, we cannot accept the narrow, phase-based restriction of Naturphilosophie to those books, essays, and journals clearly contributory to it. To understand Naturphilosophie accordingly requires consideration of Schelling’s many articulations of nature, its concept, and its place in philosophy, as a whole, from throughout his career.

Citation

Grant, I. H. (2014). The hypothesis of nature's logic in Schelling's Naturphilosophie. In M. Altman (Ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of German Idealism, 478-498. Palgrave Macmillan

• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2014
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 478-498
• Book Title: The Palgrave Handbook of German Idealism
• ISBN: 9781137334749
• Keywords: Schelling, Naturphilosophie, German idealism, naturalization of logic
• Publisher URL: http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/the-palgrave-handbook-of-german-idealism-matthew-c--altman/?sf1=barcode&st1=9781137334749