Abstract

The problem of matter is one of the central issues in Schelling’s philosophical thought. In the years 1797-1800 Schelling takes Kant as his point of departure not only for his transcendental philosophy, but also in the construction of matter. Already for Kant the concept of matter constituted a systematical problem, since it was neither an entirely empirical nor an a priori concept. Schelling takes up and develops the issue within the context of his own philosophy. In his attempt at speculative comprehension of matter, he turns his attention to the contemporary scientific debates, integrating their results into his own system. In 1801 Schelling unites transcendental philosophy with philosophy of nature, thus establishing a philosophy of absolute Identity, which leads to the transformation in the concept of matter. The present paper intends to investigate Schelling’s theory of matter from the following two points of view: conceptual inquiry and historical analysis of Schelling’s thought in the context of the natural science of his day.