Jacobi and the Fichtian Interpretation of the Letter to Fichte (1799). Realism, Idealism, Nihilism

Abstract

In this paper we study Fichte’s reaction to the letter received from Jacobi (the famous Jacobi’s Letter to Fichte, 1799) as a key to the interpretation of the same letter. This letter, in fact, is very significant in the context of the philosophical dispute between realism and idealism. In this paper we especially focus on the methodological justification of realism and the ontological implication of transcendental idealism. Keystone of such philosophical dispute appears to be the speculative or mere empirical relevance of the notion of person.