Philosophy Dictionary of ArgumentsHome | |||
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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on Symbols - Dictionary of Arguments
Gadamer I 81 Symbols/Goethe/Gadamer: In the well-known letter [to Schiller] of the 17th August 1797, Goethe describes the sentimental mood into which his impressions of Frankfurt put him, and says of the objects that produce such an effect "that they are actually symbolic, i.e. like I hardly need to say: "These are eminent cases, which in a characteristic variety stand as representatives of many others, and which enclose a certain totality in themselves". He gives weight to this experience, because it should help him to escape the "millionfold hydra of empiricism". Schiller/Gadamer: Schiller encourages him in this and finds this sentimental way of feeling completely in accordance with "what we have established with each other about it". With Goethe, however, it is obviously not so much an aesthetic experience as an experience of reality, for which he apparently draws the concept of the symbolic from old Protestant language. >Aesthetic Experience, >Aesthetic Consciousness. Schiller makes his idealistic objections to such a conception of the symbolism of reality, thus shifting the meaning of symbol in the direction of the aesthetic. >Symbols/Schiller. For Goethe (...) the art theoretical contrast between symbol and allegory remains only a special phenomenon of the general direction towards the significant, which he seeks in all phenomena. Thus he, for example, applies the concept of the symbol to colours because there, too, "the true relationship simultaneously expresses the meaning", whereby the allusion to the traditional hermeneutic scheme of allegorice, symbolice, mystice clearly shines through(1) - until he can finally write the word that characterizes him in this way: "Everything that happens is a symbol, and by perfectly representing itself, it points to the rest".(2) >Symbols/Kunstreligion/Gadamer. 1. Farbenlehre, Des ersten Bandes erster, didaktischer Teil, Nr. 916. 2. Brief vom 3. 4. 1818 an Schubart._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von Gadamer I Hans-Georg Gadamer Wahrheit und Methode. Grundzüge einer philosophischen Hermeneutik 7. durchgesehene Auflage Tübingen 1960/2010 Gadamer II H. G. Gadamer The Relevance of the Beautiful, London 1986 German Edition: Die Aktualität des Schönen: Kunst als Spiel, Symbol und Fest Stuttgart 1977 |