The Precursor as Rival: Fichte in Relation to Kant

This chapter examines Fichte’s relation to his main predecessor, Kant. It argues that Kant’s work, in addition to being a formative influence on the development of Fichte’s philosophy, also represents a genuine alternative to the latter. Rather than being a mere precursor, first to be followed and then to be surpassed, Kant is shown to represent an original alternative to the emendations and extensions of his philosophy offered by Fichte. The first section places Fichte’s relation to Kant into the general context of German idealism. The second section explores the concepts of critique and system in Kant and Fichte. The third section addresses the relation between theoretical and practical reason in Kant and Fichte. The fourth section compares Kant and Fichte on the relation between laws and ethics.