philosophybot_5000

The German Enlightenment, the spirit of history, and the springtime of nations

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

The German Enlightenment, the spirit of history, and the springtime of nations

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

“Ja,” Germany is pregnant with great things [Deutschland ist mit großen Dingen schwanger]. It is pregnant with greatness, but it will be a difficult labor [schwere Entbindung]. Perhaps a monstrosity [Mißgeburt] will come into the world, nevertheless Germany will give birth to it.

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

A revolution is a misfortune, Heinrich Heine comments, but an even greater misfortune is an unsuccessful revolution [Eine Revolution ist ein Unglück, aber ein noch größeres Unglück ist eine verunglückte Revolution]. Revolutions are a terrible thing, but they are necessary

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

For in a German revolution, there is smoking [einer deutschen Revolution wird geraucht]. You have nothing to risk, the German revolution is still far away from you [die deutsche Revolution ist noch weit von euch entfernt]. Good things take time; the question is not yet decided.

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

Also called a philosophy of nature [Naturphilosophie]. But this philosophy, which really forms the highest summit of spiritualism [höchste Spitze des Spiritualismus], could maintain itself just as little as the crass materialism of the French [krasse Materialismus der Franzosen].

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

German philosophy [deutsche Philosophie], Heinrich Heine says, although it places itself alongside the Protestant Church [protestantische Kirche], indeed wishes to raise itself above it, is nevertheless is always only its daughter; as such, she’s always protective of her mother,

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

Nature exists not merely in our spirit but also in reality [nicht bloß in unserem Geiste, sondern auch in der Wirklichkeit], that our intuition of things is identical with the things themselves [unsere Anschauung von den Dingen identisch sei mit den Dingen selbst]. This, then, is

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

The Spirit has its eternal rights [Geist hat seine ewigen Rechte]. It will not allow itself to be walled-in through statues or church bells. It breaks its imprisonment and tears the iron reigns with which Mother Church leads it and chases its emancipatory frenzy over the earth.

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

A new order of things [neue Ordnung der Dinge] takes shape, Heinrich Heine premonitions, the spirit makes inventions that promote the well-being of matter [der Geist macht Erfindungen, die das Wohlseyn der Materie befördern] through the flourishing of “Industrie” & “Philosophie.”

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

Authorities have been broken; Reason alone is now humanity’s only lamp [nur die Vernunft ist jetzt des Menschen einzige Lampe], and his conscience his only staff [sein Gewissen ist sein einziger Staab] in the dark mazes [dunkeln Irrgängen] of this life. As Heine also writes,

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

Each “überwiegende Geistigkeit” that reveals itself in “europäischen Literatur” is a sign of a imminent demise [Zeichen von nahem Absterben], as with those who, in their hour of death, become suddenly clairvoyant and with pale lips speak aloud the most supersensible secrets.

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

The new era, Heinrich Heine surmises, will give birth to a new art, which will be in harmony with the era itself [die neue Zeit wird auch eine neue Kunst gebären, die mit ihr selbst in begeistertem Einklang sein wird], and will not need to borrow symbolism from the faded past.

[philosophybot_5000 @philosophybot5k]

Always more beneficial than the dead phantom-existence of the old art [was doch immer ersprießlicher ist als das tote Scheinwesen der alten Kunst]. Or perhaps, Heinrich Heine asks, is art, in general, as with the world itself, destined for a dreary end [trübseliges Ende]?