The Influence of Johann Gottlieb Fichte’s Theory of Knowledge on the Structure of Johann Friedrich Herbart’s Psychology

Abstract

The article answers the question: to what degree is Johann Friedrich Herbart’s tendency to unify the object of psychology (subsequently abandoning faculty psychology) relies on developing intuitions of Johann Gottlieb Fichte’s theory of knowledge? In the first part, I discuss the topic of the article and justify the choice of Herbartian psychology as the object of investigation. In the second part, I present Herbart’s basic psychological texts. I present ideas stemming from the philosophical tradition, which Herbart introduces into his psychology: especially Fichte’s critique of the faculty theory and Kant’s conviction, that a theory is scientific only inasmuch as it is mathematized. I argue that postulating mathematization of psychology brings Herbart to a critique of faculty psychology, subsequently closer to a Fichtean perspective. In the third part I present a theory of consciousness, underlying Herbart’s critique, which cannot be reduced to the concepts of pre-Kantian psychology and metaphysics. I point out the origins of such theory in Fichte’s theory of knowledge, especially in his analyses of representation. I discuss Herbart’s critique of Fichte interconnecting the notions of representation and drive. I argue as well, that the notion of representation as analysed in Fichte’s theoretical philosophy remains important for Herbartian psychology. It allows transforming the the object of psychology into a system of dynamically and reciprocally conditioning rules. This change of structure allows to present psychic phenomena in quantitative categories, allowing for mathematizing psychology. I shortly discuss Herbart’s method of relations. I point out its connection to his theory of consciousness, but also its strong metaphysical implications. In the fourth part of the article, I briefly discuss such implications of Herbart’s psychology: the abandonment of the ego for the simple notion of the soul. I conclude with a question about the potential relation between Herbart’s concept of the soul and problems posed within German early romanticism.