Kant scholarship often refers to transcendental idealism as a ‘theory.’ Kant’s project, however, is not easily reconciled with that term in its current use. This paper contends that his critique and idealism should be seen as a remedial response against our natural albeit confused prejudice of transcendental realism. Kant’s idealism articulates a ‘metametaphysical’ ethos that is supposed to provide a new grounding of metaphysics by proceeding ‘from the human standpoint:’ it aims to dispel the temptation of transcendental realism in favor (...) of a resolute inhabitation of, and contentment with, our own humanity. This project comes under pressure in post-Kantianism: Fichte is among the first to voice the worry that Kant’s critique is well-intentioned, but not well-executed. His concern is that, while it ‘bring[s] man into harmony with himself,’ this mere contentment with our own humanity will not suffice to achieve the scientificity that, by Kant’s own lights, is the mark of any promising metaphysics. Fichte’s charge is that Kant’s idealism, in its very confinement to the brute facts of the human condition, surrenders itself to unacceptable contingency or ‘facticity.’ The paper explores Kant’s idealist project of grounding metaphysics, Fichte’s facticity charge against it, and whether Kantian idealism can withstand it. (shrink)

Bd. 1. Antike Philosophie -- Bd. 2. Christliche Philosophie des Mittelalters. Philosophie der Renaissance -- Bd. 3-4. Neuzeitliche Philosophie.

At the beginning of the 20s, Russia was devastated by famine and plagues. This paper deals with the life and work of the Leipzig physician Paul Carly Seyfarth (1890–1950), who participated in the Red Cross relief expedition to Russia. In 1922/23, Seyfarth was appointed director of the German Alexander-Hospital in Petersburg, which he reorganized and modernized for the treatment of infectious diseases.

In 1514 at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Leipzig, a quodlibetical disputation took place. About 60 persons participated in the disputation. A handwritten record of this event has been preserved. A thorough analysis of these texts gives us a wealth of information with regard to the themes, positions, and tendencies of thinking during that period of time. The scholars at Leipzig University made an attempt at reconciling their philosophical interests with the claim to spiritual hegemony on the (...) part of theology and the church. This aspect is remarkable if one thinks of the famous papal bull Apostolici Regiminis, promulgated in the year 1513. The attached appendix lists the topics and the names of the participants of the disputation according to the record. (shrink)

The Leipzig anatomist Werner Spalteholz (1861–1940) started studies on the anastomoses between the coronary arteries of the heart in 1906. He confirmed the thesis, that “the transparency of tissues depends first of all on the refraction index of permeating liquid”, and began to produce transparent organ specimens. The 1st International Hygiene Exposition 1911 in Dresden showed 370 specimens produced by Spalteholz and was a great success. Later Spalteholz worked in the scientific Council of the Hygiene Museum. The exhibition “Transparent man”, (...) shown in 1925, testified to the great extent of knowledge that was passed on to the population with the help of these specimens. The “transparent human being” was not only an attractive and instructive collection for exhibition and educational purposes, but also a didactic concept. Fritz Tschackert (1887–1958) created the “transparent man” for the 2nd International Hygiene Exposition in Dresden in 1930. Today the “transparent woman” is the highlight of the museum's permanent exhibition. (shrink)

Poco se ha escrito sobre uno de los intentos más radicales de fundamentación del conservadurismo; como son las obras de Hans Freyer, Arnold Gehlen y Helmut Schelsky (principales representantes de la Escuela de Leipzig). Este artículo sistematiza la tentativa de la Escuela de Leipzig de justificar epistemológicamente el conservadurismo como régimen socio-político. Caracterizaremos el concepto de conservadurismo en la Escuela de Leipzig (I), se expondrá su fundamentación epistemológica en Freyer (II), su continuación en Gehlen (III) y su variante en Schelsky (...) (IV). Concluiremos con una discusión sobre la actualidad del diagnóstico epocal de la Escuela de Leipzig (V). (shrink)

Nobelprizewinner Ferdinand Braun worked as a teacher for three years (1874–1977) at the Leipzig Thomas School. In this time, essential for him, he developed his most important discovery: the effect of semiconductivity. Furthermore he demonstrated his pedagogical talent as a teacher and wrote an approval, popularized book for young people. The experiences of that time had a influence upon his future work.

Während die bisherige Forschung überwiegend auf Rekonstruktion und Analyse des philosophischen und pädagogischen Werkes von Theodor Litt bezogen war, konzentrieren sich gegenwärtige Untersuchungen bedingt durch die Zunahme von ...

On the occasion of the 100th birthday of the physical chemist Kurt Schwabe the article presents an overview about Schwabe’s activities as president of the Saxon Academy of Science from 1965 to 1980. Main topics of this time which has to be solved by Schwabe were to ensure the further existence of the academy and to reach an agreement about the principles of cooperation between the Saxon Academy of Science and the Berlin Academy of Science as an agreement of equals.

During the academic year 1912–13, Mark Hovell studied and taught at Professor Karl Lamprecht’s Institut für Kultur- und Universalgeschichte in Leipzig. During his time there, Hovell wrote regularly to his fiancée, Fanny Gately, and to his mentor, Professor Thomas Tout. This article focuses on several of Hovell’s letters held at the John Rylands Library, presenting his thoughts and observations on aspects of social, political and academic life in Germany shortly before the outbreak of the First World War.

Ich habe hier eine philosophische Diskussion vor mit Dubislav und seinen Schülern. Das sind so Philosophen, die wo[hl] nicht an die Vernunft glauben, sondern nur ihren Sinnen trauen wollen. Da werde ich versuchen, ihnen von meinen Leipziger Ergebnissen zu erzählen, und darüber hinaus, was es mit der Vernunft und ihrer Erkenntnis vom Kausalgesetz auf sich hat.

(2008). ‘It’s the Patient’s Fault’: Simone Simoni and the Plague of Leipzig, 1575 1 . Intellectual History Review: Vol. 18, Humanism and Medicine in the Early Modern Era, pp. 5-13.