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Single Idea 21966

[filed under theme 11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 3. Idealism / d. Absolute idealism ]

Full Idea

The immediate consciousness of myself is the condition of all other consciousness; and I know a thing only in so far as I know that I know it; no element can enter into the latter cognition which is not contained in the former.

Gist of Idea

Self-consciousness is the basis of knowledge, and knowing something is knowing myself

Source

Johann Fichte (The Vocation of Man [1800], p.37), quoted by A.W. Moore - The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics 06.2

Book Ref

Moore,A.W.: 'The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics' [CUP 2013], p.150

A Reaction

This strikes me as false, and a lot of intellectual contortion would be needed to believe it. Is knowing this pen is in front of me a case of knowing that I have knowledge of this pen, or is it just knowledge of this pen? [cf Kant 1781:A129]

The 48 ideas from Johann Fichte

22015 The thing-in-itself is an empty dream [Fichte, by Pinkard]
22062 Mental presentation are not empirical, but concern the strivings of the self [Fichte]
22018 Necessary truths derive from basic assertion and negation [Fichte, by Pinkard]
22064 Fichte's logic is much too narrow, and doesn't deduce ethics, art, society or life [Schlegel,F on Fichte]
22024 Fichte's subjectivity struggles to then give any account of objectivity [Pinkard on Fichte]
22017 Normativity needs the possibility of negation, in affirmation and denial [Fichte, by Pinkard]
22032 Fichte's key claim was that the subjective-objective distinction must itself be subjective [Fichte, by Pinkard]
22060 The Self is the spontaneity, self-relatedness and unity needed for knowledge [Fichte, by Siep]
22066 Novalis sought a much wider concept of the ego than Fichte's proposal [Novalis on Fichte]
22016 The self is not a 'thing', but what emerges from an assertion of normativity [Fichte, by Pinkard]
22061 Judgement is distinguishing concepts, and seeing their relations [Fichte, by Siep]
22023 Fichte's idea of spontaneity implied that nothing counts unless we give it status [Fichte, by Pinkard]
22065 Fichte reduces nature to a lifeless immobility [Schlegel,F on Fichte]
22019 Consciousness of an object always entails awareness of the self [Fichte]
22020 We only see ourselves as self-conscious and rational in relation to other rationalities [Fichte]
22063 Effective individuals must posit a specific material body for themselves [Fichte]
23231 I immediately know myself, and anything beyond that is an inference [Fichte]
23227 Each object has a precise number of properties, each to a precise degree [Fichte]
23228 The principle of activity and generation is found in a self-moving basic force [Fichte]
23232 Sufficient reason makes the transition from the particular to the general [Fichte]
23233 The will is awareness of one of our inner natural forces [Fichte]
23236 Freedom means making yourself become true to your essential nature [Fichte]
23229 Nature is wholly interconnected, and the tiniest change affects everything [Fichte]
23237 The capacity for freedom is above the laws of nature, with its own power of purpose and will [Fichte]
23235 I want independent control of the fundamental cause of my decisions [Fichte]
23230 Nature contains a fundamental force of thought [Fichte]
23234 I cannot change the nature which has been determined for me [Fichte]
23239 The self is, apart from outward behaviour, a drive in your nature [Fichte]
23238 If life lacks love it becomes destruction [Fichte]
23240 We can't know by sight or hearing without realising that we are doing so [Fichte]
23241 I am myself, but not the external object; so I only sense myself, and not the object [Fichte]
23242 Consciousness has two parts, passively receiving sensation, and actively causing productions [Fichte]
23243 Consciousness of external things is always accompanied by an unnoticed consciousness of self [Fichte]
23244 Forming purposes is absolutely free, and produces something from nothing [Fichte]
23245 Knowledge can't be its own foundation; there has to be regress of higher and higher authorities [Fichte]
23246 Faith is not knowledge; it is a decision of the will [Fichte]
23247 The need to act produces consciousness, and practical reason is the root of all reason [Fichte]
21966 Self-consciousness is the basis of knowledge, and knowing something is knowing myself [Fichte]
21967 There is nothing to say about anything which is outside my consciousness [Fichte]
21969 Awareness of reality comes from the free activity of consciousness [Fichte]
20951 The absolute I divides into consciousness, and a world which is not-I [Fichte, by Bowie]
6912 For Fichte there is no God outside the ego, and 'our religion is reason' [Fichte, by Feuerbach]
21973 Fichte believed in things-in-themselves [Fichte, by Moore,AW]
21914 We can deduce experience from self-consciousness, without the thing-in-itself [Fichte]
21964 Reason arises from freedom, so philosophy starts from the self, and not from the laws of nature [Fichte]
21968 Abandon the thing-in-itself; things only exist in relation to our thinking [Fichte]
21970 Philosophy attains its goal if one person feels perfect accord between their system and experience [Fichte]
21965 Spinoza could not actually believe his determinism, because living requires free will [Fichte]