The Vocation of Man
(Bestimmung des Menschen)
by
Johann Gottlieb Fichte
(1800)
Book I - Doubt
Book II - Knowledge
Book III - Faith
Scanned from Volume I of The Popular Works of Johann Gottlieb Fichte (William Smith trans., Trübner & Co.- London, 4th ed. 1889). In "Memoir of Fichte," published at the beginning of Volume I, it is stated that a translation of Bestimmung des Menschen "originally published in 1848, is now reprinted in this edition." (109) It is believed but, due to a printing error, uncertain, that the translation of Bestimmung and the "Memoir" were both authored by William Smith. The pagination in the e-text follows that of its original source.
The "Memoir" refers to The Vocation of Man as a work in which Fichte's "philosophy is set forth in its most popular form but with admirable lucidity and comprehensiveness . . . in which all the great phases of metaphysical speculation are condensed into an almost dramatic picture of the successive stages of development of an individual mind." (109) It is also referred to as "the most systematic exposition of his philosophy which has been attempted in a popular form." (117) It is esteemed to be one of Fichte's "most valuable and enduring contributions to the world." (121)
This e-text was created by Carl Mickelsen. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. No permission is granted for commercial use of this material. Carl Mickelsen
