From the Human Point of View. A Research Network on Classical German Anthropology.

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Julia Peters
• Subject Area: History of Philosophy
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 510891538

The aim of this project is to collaboratively develop a new perspective on classical German philosophy. We argue that the philosophy of Kant and post-Kantian authors is profoundly inspired by ‘anthropology’: that is to say, their theories are developed from a distinctly human point of view. In bringing together an international group of experts, this network seeks to jointly establish the research area of Classical German Anthropology and point out what we can learn from it for current debates on what it means to be a human being. In doing so, the project will open up a new perspective on the subject matter, philosophical methodology and textual canon of the period of classical German philosophy. Furthermore, we believe that the project will not only contribute significantly to the scholarly discourse on classical German philosophy, but also make an impact on wider discussions of how to conceive of human nature. So far, little scholarly attention has been devoted to the ‘anthropological’ reflections of classical German philosophy as a whole. We contend that a new approach to anthropology arises with Kant, and that the question of human nature opens up a novel and fruitful perspective on post-Kantian philosophical developments as well. Our investigation will be organized around three sub-projects: one project focusing on the relation between anthropological reflection on the one hand, and transcendental and idealist philosophy on the other (authors: Kant, Jacobi, Herder, Fichte, Schelling, Hegel, Feuerbach, Marx); one project focusing on the relation between empirical anthropology and transcendental/idealist philosophy on the other (authors: Platner, Cuvier, Blumenbach, Bichat, Schelling, Hegel, Kant, Herder); and one project focusing on the aesthetic aspects of classical German anthropology (authors: Winckelmann, Schiller, Herder, Goethe, A. v. Humboldt, Schelling, Hegel). Each sub-project engages a set of Kantian and post-Kantian authors by bringing their work to bear on the overall question that underlies our project. Network events such as conferences, workshops and virtual reading groups will be focused on each of the sub-projects.We will pursue this intellectual agenda by connecting a group of internationally renowned scholars from both Europe and the US, who will regularly convene for conferences and close-reading workshops, working on complementing research projects on individual figures from the period as well as on joint publications. The project will host a total of 6 workshops, including 6 public lectures by external experts. The results of this joint scholarly effort will be published in an edited volume with the title ‘From the Human Point of View: Classical German Anthropologies Between 1750-1830’, containing contributions by all core network members as well as external experts. .

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Johannes-Georg Schülein