The First German Philosopher

This book investigates Hegels interpretation of the mystical philosophy of Jakob Bhme (1575-1624), considered in the context of the reception of Bhme in the 18th and 19th centuries, and of Hegels own understanding of mysticism as a philosophical approach. The three sections of this book present: the historical background of Hegels encounter with Bhmes writings; the development of two different conceptions of mysticism in Hegels work; and finally Hegels approach to Bhmes philosophy, discussing in detail the references to Bhme both in published writings and manuscripts. According to Hegel, Bhme is the first German philosopher. The reason for placing Bhme at the very beginning of German philosophy is that Hegel considers him to be a profound thinker, despite his rudimentary education. Hegels fascination with Bhme mainly concerns the mystics understanding of the symbiotic relation between God and his opposite, the Devil: he considers this to be the true speculative core of Bhmes thought. By interpreting Bhme, Hegel intends to free the speculative content of his thought from the limitations of the inadequate, barbarous form in which the mystic expressed it, and also to liberate Bhme from the prejudices surrounding his writings, placing him firmly in the territory of philosophy and detaching him from the obscurity of esotericism. Combining historical reconstructions and philosophical argumentation, this book guides the reader through an important phase in German philosophy, and ultimately into an inquiry about the relationship between mysticism and philosophy itself.