The Fichte: A System of Freedom? Biographical-Philosophical Reflections
Abstract
The basic problem of Fichte, both in his philosophy and in his life, is the problem of freedom. Kant’s criticism frees Fichte from the deterministic conceptions of his youth. The Doctrine of science is for Fichte the system of freedom. After the year 1800 the idea of freedom seems to have a less significant role in comparison to the doctrine of the absolute; but the subsequent Fichte’s reflections show that the problem of reconciling individual freedom with the ultimate aim of reason remains a central one. Fichte’s aim is to realize the freedom not only on a philosophical level but on the political one as well; yet he doesn’t find a solution that satisfies him under this respect