The Legacy of Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi

Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi, a key figure in the reception of Kant’s critical philosophy, has long been regarded as a critic of the Enlightenment, who argued that philosophical reflection leads to a form of nihilism and advocated the idea that all human knowledge “derives from revelation and faith.” This chapter sheds new light on the reasons why Jacobi uses religious language to criticize the philosophical tradition. Going against a long tradition of interpreters who believe that Jacobi is an irrationalist, Nisenbaum argues that Jacobi’s concern is to restore human reason by unveiling reason’s practical foundation. In doing so, it highlights largely overlooked parallels between Jacobi’s so-called philosophy of faith and Kant’s prioritizing of the practical. Noting these parallels helps clarify both Jacobi’s philosophical contribution and the manner in which the post-Kantian German Idealists understood Kant’s conception of the relationship and conflict between theoretical and practical reason.