Fichte: Atheismusstreit and Its Real Philosophical Content

Abstract

The article focuses on one of the most controversial events in Fichte’s intellectual life that is known as the Atheismusstreit. Traditionally, the atheism dispute has been considered to be a turning point in Fichte’s development, marking the distinction between an early transcendental idealism with atheistic implications and a later absolute idealism with theistic implications. Opposing to this view, the author asserts essential continuity throughout Fichte’s early and later philosophical writings, as well as various versions of his Wissenschaftslehre. It is shown that the Atheismusstreit has played an important methodologicalrole in shedding light on the real content of Fichte’s philosophical project, and as such cannot be reduced to a purely theological debate.