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Single Idea 23246

[filed under theme 12. Knowledge Sources / E. Direct Knowledge / 2. Intuition ]

Full Idea

Faith is no knowledge, but a decision of the will to recognise the validity of knowledge.

Gist of Idea

Faith is not knowledge; it is a decision of the will

Source

Johann Fichte (The Vocation of Man [1800], 3.I)

Book Ref

Fichte,Johann G.: 'The Vocation of Man', ed/tr. Preuss,Peter [Hackett 1987], p.71


A Reaction

What matters is the grounds for the decision. Mad conspiracy theories are decisions of the will which are false. Legitimate faith is an intuition of coherence which cannot be fully articulated.


The 48 ideas from Johann Fichte

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