Schelling's Mystical Platonism: 1792-1802

Schelling came of age during the pivotal and exciting years at the end of the eighteenth century, as Kant's philosophy was being incorporated into the German academic world.At this time, in addition to delving into the new Kantian philosophy, Schelling engaged in an intense study of Plato's dialogues and was immersed in a Neoplatonic intellectual culture.Attention to these aspects of Schelling's early philosophical development illuminates his fundamental commitments.Throughout the first decade of his adult life, from 1792-1802, Schelling was a mystical Platonist.Naomi Fisher argues that Schelling is committed to two overarching theses, which together comprise his mystical Platonism.First, Schelling considers the absolute to be ineffable: It cannot be described in conceptual terms.For this reason, it remains inferentially external to any given philosophical system and is only intimated to us in certain analogical formulations, in works of art, or in nature as a whole.Second, Schelling i