Windelband’s historical views, his understanding of the processes taking place in society, the laws of development and, conversely, regression, are relevant today, although they were stated a century ago.
Unfortunately, in our time, the “surface encyclopedicity” of knowledge and its fragmentation is a frequent occurrence. That is, people learn something and, remembering individual phrases, terms, names and surnames, use them in their own speech, shining with erudition. This is due to the abundance of information around and congestion in thought processes. And although it is impossible to know everything in the world, before appealing in conversations with philosophical dogmas, that is, “howling” to them, using them in the form of arguments, one should imagine their meaning and history of their appearance.
What is a philosophy?
Philosophy is one of the most ancient sciences. When and where exactly it originated - a subject for discussion, there is no doubt only one thing: in the ancient world, this science already flourished and was held in high esteem.
The word itself is Greek. Literally translated, it means "love of wisdom." Philosophy is a special way of knowing and comprehending the world, absolutely everything that is happening around, visible and heard by man. That is, the subject of study in philosophy is literally everything. Moreover, this is the only science the subject of study of which can be other disciplines, social processes along with natural phenomena. That is, philosophy can study the construction of heavenly bodies, the behavior of helminths, human thoughts, history or literature, religion, and so on. The list is endless. For example, if a person turns around him, then he will not see anything that could not become the subject of study in philosophy.
That is, philosophy is both a way of cognition and a scientific discipline.
How do people perceive science?
In the last century, at its beginning, when the life of people in our country changed very quickly, for example, mass literacy, electricity and gas appeared, people had an interesting understanding of philosophy. Its essence boiled down to the fact that the question of what philosophy is, ordinary inhabitants, workers or peasants in the pre-war USSR answered unanimously: verbiage. The attitude towards young people, students of philosophy, among the commoners was mockingly patronizing.
Probably, such a perception of science arose not so much because of its misunderstanding, but because of the impossibility of practical use. The inquiring and very cunning economic mindset of most ordinary people does not see any benefit in the pursuit of philosophy today.
What sections are there in this science?
The separation of philosophy is, of course, a rhetorical question. But still there is some clarity, science includes two main sections:
- subjects of study;
- types, methods of cognition.
The first refers to what is being studied, and to the second, how exactly something is learned.
This means that various trends, directions, schools, concepts of philosophy - this is what makes up its second large section.
What directions is there in this science?
Directions in philosophy are many. They are divided by time periods, by region, by the content of basic thoughts and by other principles. For example, when choosing directions in accordance with the division by region, one may encounter Western and Eastern philosophy, Chinese and Greek. If we take time for the initial, defining criterion, then medieval philosophy, ancient, of the last century, stands out.
The most interesting and informative is the allocation of directions in accordance with professed principles, basic thoughts and ideas. For example, Marxism or utopia belongs to such a direction of philosophy, realism is also a direction in philosophy, as well as nihilism, and many others. Each of the directions has its own schools. The head of one of these schools was Windelband Wilhelm.
What is neo-Kantianism?
Neo-Kantianism is a philosophical trend that arose in Western Europe at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Its essence is clear from the name:
- “Neo” is new;
- "Kantianism" is a follow-up to the theories of a famous scientist.
Of course, the famous philosopher in this case is Kant. Destination was extremely common in Europe. The scientists who worked within its framework, including Windelband, shared the values of this world into nature and culture.
The followers of this direction positioned their worldview in accordance with the popular slogan at that time - “Back to Kant!”. However, scientists did not just repeat Kant's ideas or develop them, but gave preference to the epistemological component of his teachings.
What did the neo-Kantians do?
Windelband Wilhelm, like other philosophers who share the values of neo-Kantianism, have done quite a lot. For example, their activity became the basis, figuratively speaking, prepared by the ground for the emergence at the beginning of the last century of such a direction of philosophy as phenomenology.
This is not surprising, because in the first place they were interested in such scholars as Windelband, the history of philosophy and its immediate development, prospects, the place of this science in a world that rushed to the material component to the detriment of the spiritual. The ideas voiced by the neo-Kantians influenced the socialists in many ways. They became the basis, the basis for the formation of the concept of ethical socialism.
The Neo-Kantians deduced, or rather, fostered such a philosophical science as axiology. This is their main brainchild and achievement. Axiology is a theory of values. She studies everything that is connected with this concept - from the very nature of values to their development, meaning and place in the surrounding world.
Is there a separation in neo-Kantianism?
Scientists such as Windelband, for whom philosophy was a vocation, a state of mind, and not just a professional occupation, could not adhere to unified views on the subjects of study. The difference in approaches and priorities among scientists working within the framework of neo-Kantianism led to the emergence of two independent philosophical schools:
Each of them had talented followers in all corners of the world, including in Russia.
What was the difference?
The difference in the activities of these philosophical schools was in understanding the priority issues, that is, in the direct occupation of scientists.
The followers of the Marburg school preferred studying problems in the logical and methodological field of natural sciences. But scientists who joined the Baden school, which included the South-West and Freiburg, gave priority to the humanities and problems of the value system.
Who founded the Baden school?
There are two founders of this school. These are Windelband Wilhelm and Rickert Heinrich. These scientists have much in common not only in their views and ideas, in their approach to understanding and understanding the world, but also in biographies and characters.
Both were born in Prussia in middle-income families. Both attended the lyceum. Both were idealists and were prone to pacifism. Both were curious and not lazy to travel to other cities for interesting lectures. Both taught and published scientific papers themselves.
Based on all this, it can be assumed that the founders of the Baden school were friends or pals. However, this is not at all true. In this case, the formation of a philosophical school was the result of the cooperation of a teacher and a student, and not a pair of comrades. Rickert studied philosophy at the department in Strasbourg in 1885, and its leader was Wilhelm Windelband, whose hermeneutics and historicism made an indelible impression on the future co-founder of the Baden School.
How did the founder of the philosophy school live?
The founder of the Baden school and one of the founders of the ideas of neo-Kantianism in the family of a civil servant, that is, an official, was born. It happened in Prussia, in the town of Potsdam, on May 11, 1848. What is curious, especially after many years from the day of the death of the philosopher, is the horoscope of the date of birth. In addition to such meanings as constellations, elements and oriental symbols, the birth of people is accompanied by numbers. The date of birth of the German philosopher is the number. It symbolizes the awareness of the importance of one's own person, fame and power, action and ambition, ambition, leadership and success. All these qualities were inherent in Windelband throughout his life's journey.
He studied at two universities:
- in Jena, with Professor Kuno Fischer;
- in Heidelberg, attending a lecture course by Rudolf Hermann Lotze.
In 1870 he defended his dissertation, which did not impress the scientists. It was called The Doctrine of Chance. In the same year, the scientist went to the front as a volunteer. It's about the Franco-Prussian military conflict.
1870 was a busy year for Windelband. In addition to participating in hostilities and defending a dissertation, he begins teaching at the Department of Philosophy in Leipzig.
Six years later, Windelband becomes a professor. This is an insignificantly short time to achieve such a stage in a scientific career. Of course, the scientist does not stop teaching:
- 1876 - Zurich;
- 1877-1882 - Freiburg;
- 1882-1903 - Strasbourg;
- from 1903 - Heidelberg.
After 1903, the philosopher did not change the city. In 1910, he becomes a full member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences, and in October 1915 he dies at the age of 67.
What legacy has the philosopher left?
Windelband Wilhelm wrote some books. His main legacy was his students, among whom were Heinrich Rickert, Maximilian Karl Emil Weber, Ernst Trelch, Albert Schweitzer, Robert Park - the real stars of philosophy. As for books, there are only four of them, and the most famous are two.
The first is called "The History of Ancient Philosophy." She saw the light in 1888, in 1893 was translated into Russian and immediately became incredibly popular. Thanks to this work, the Baden School of Philosophy had many followers in Russia.
The second is called The History of the New Philosophy. She did not receive such a wide resonance during the life of the author as the first, perhaps due to the features of that time. The book was published in two parts in 1878-1880. In Russia, it was published in 1902-1905.
In addition, during the life of the philosopher, "History and the Science of Nature" and "On Free Will" were published. This book was published in 1905, but was reprinted with numerous corrections in 1923. The German name for the fourth book is Über Willensfreiheit. Its content touches on issues that are not entirely characteristic of the direction of philosophy that the scientist was engaged in.