Simon Schuez | Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (original) (raw)

Books by Simon Schuez

How is it possible to arrive at valid conclusions about a mind-independent world through reflecti... more How is it possible to arrive at valid conclusions about a mind-independent world through reflection on the necessary conditions of experience and intentionality?

The present study develops this problem of objective validity with recourse to the contemporary debate on transcendental arguments. It thereby develops an argument-based approach to two paradigmatic texts of post-Kantian idealism: Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit and Fichte’s Science of Knowledge 1804-II. It is shown that Hegel and Fichte try to dissolve the problem of objective validity by using a method of philosophical therapy which takes on the form of an ascent to absolute knowing.

The study presents a novel interpretation of Hegel’s Phenomenology, which shows it to have methodological affinities with the paradigm of geometrical construction, and of Fichte’s late Science of Knowledge, which reappraises the role of the conceptual for Fichte. Systematically, a skeptical revenge problem is developed: idealism as such is shown to be fraught with an internal tension between claims to objectivity and skepticism. It is this inner tension that motivates the reflective ascent of the transcendental approach.

Papers by Simon Schuez

Ergo, 2023

The aim of this paper is to shake up the consensus view on transcendental arguments (TAs) that th... more The aim of this paper is to shake up the consensus view on transcendental arguments (TAs) that the ambitious “world-directed” kind fails and that only moderate, “belief-directed” transcendental arguments have a claim to validity. This consensus is based on Barry Stroud’s famous substitution objection: For any transcendental claim ‘p is an enabling condition for X’ we can readily substitute ‘the belief that p’ for ‘p’. I depart from the observation that the force of Stroud’s objection depends on it being applicable to any world-directed TA whatsoever. This requires a much more substantive justification than is commonly supposed. I rehabilitate world-directed TAs by posing a dialectical dilemma for the Stroudian skeptic: a certain moderate TA is required to uphold the skeptical challenge, but this TA brings with it the commitment to a distinction which restricts the scope of the challenge, namely to ‘empirical’ instead of ‘transcendental’ beliefs about the world. The positive result is a new way of understanding what world-directed transcendental arguments are: a way of showing us which of our beliefs about the world are true because they are, in the sense of Wittgenstein’s meter-measure analogy, constitutive of our very standard for objectivity.

Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie, 2023

Transformative theories of human nature posit that the genus of animality is wholly transformed b... more Transformative theories of human nature posit that the genus of animality is wholly transformed by the specific difference of reason. The aim of this paper is to show that the two most prominent transformative approaches, ‘resolute’ and ‘dialectical’, face a dialectical impasse that Helmuth Plessner’s philosophical anthropology is able to resolve.
First, I outline objections to the resolute approach which motivate the ‘dialectical’ turn to second nature. Second, I show that the dialectical approach faces a dilemma. It either runs into an internal 'interaction problem’ by its qualitative distinction of nature and spirit. Or it assimilates both in a way that either amounts to a collapse into the resolute approach or which creates the problem of a merely ‘artificial naturalness’. Third, I reconstruct Plessner’s ‘form-typological’ approach to how the genus living being is differentiated into structural types. This enables a dilemma-free rendition of transformation as ‘natural artificiality’: it is human first nature to seek embodied expression in second nature.

Topoi Special Issue on "Naturalism: Challenges and New Perspectives", 2023

2nd proofs, published in: H. Bajohr/S. Edinger (Hrsg.), Negative Anthropologie: Ideengeschichte u... more 2nd proofs, published in: H. Bajohr/S. Edinger (Hrsg.), Negative Anthropologie: Ideengeschichte und Systematik einer unausgeschöpften Denkfigur, Berlin: De Gruyter (2022), pp. 65-102.

2nd proofs, published in: Koch/Noveanu/Weidtmann (Hrsg.), Analogie: Neuere Auseinandersetzungen m... more 2nd proofs, published in: Koch/Noveanu/Weidtmann (Hrsg.), Analogie: Neuere Auseinandersetzungen mit einem philosophischen Schlüsselphänomen. Freiburg, München: Alber 2023, pp. 251-280.

Fichte-Studien, 2019

The goal of this paper is to interpret Fichte’s terminology of ‚light‘ and ‚imaging‘ in the WL-18... more The goal of this paper is to interpret Fichte’s terminology of ‚light‘ and ‚imaging‘ in the WL-1804-II as a rendition of transcendental principles. This analysis is intended as a contribution to the discussion concerning the theoretical status and methodology of the later doctrines of science. I begin with an exposition of four criteria for transcendentally constitutive principles: 1. presuppositional character, 2. constitutivity, 3. categorial difference between conditions and conditioned, 4. immanent justification. The systematic function of ‘light’ is exemplarily reconstructed according to these criteria. The focus of analysis lies on the fourth criterion, which is framed as the philosophical problem which Fichte’s conception of a ‘law of imaging’ in the 24th and 25th lectures answers to. The ‘law of imaging’ is reconstructed as a special form of performative self-validation which is intended to satisfy the criterion of immanent justification. A further upshot of this reading is a reappraisal of Fichte’s treatment of light’s perpetual ‘objectivization’.

A philosophical interpretation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's posthumously published work "Citadel... more A philosophical interpretation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's posthumously published work "Citadelle" (1948, German: "Die Stadt in der Wüste").

in: Alina Noveanu, Julia Pfefferkorn, Antonino Spinelli (Eds.): Seefahrten des Denkens: Dietmar Koch zum 60. Geburtstag. Tübingen: Narr/Francke/Attempto 2017, pp. 19-31.

Published in: D. Koch/I. Männlein-Robert/N. Weidtmann (Hrsg.): Platon und die Sprache (Antike-Stu... more Published in: D. Koch/I. Männlein-Robert/N. Weidtmann (Hrsg.): Platon und die Sprache (Antike-Studien, Bd. 4). Tübingen: Attempto 2016, 157–180.

Reviews by Simon Schuez

Hegel-Studien, 2023

To appear in Hegel-Studien.

Theologische Literaturzeitung (ThLZ), 2023

Review in Theologische Literaturzeitung (March 2023), Sp. 217-219.

Neue Zeitschrift für Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie, 2014

Ansgar Beckermann’s recent publication “Glaube” is reviewed in a survey of its key presupposition... more Ansgar Beckermann’s recent publication “Glaube” is reviewed in a survey of its key presuppositions and main arguments. In short, Beckermann deems religious faith to be epistemically irrational on the grounds that arguments in its favor are inconclusive and that the problem of evil strongly counts against the likelihood of an omnipotent, benevolent God. Special attention is paid to the setup of Beckermann’s argument, for example its assumption that faith can be epistemically evaluated like everyday beliefs, or the view that the problem of evil poses a logical problem. Weaknesses in Beckermann’s arguments are identified and alternatives indicated. The review concludes by taking stock of the options for a theological rebuttal.

Conferences/Workshops by Simon Schuez

Die Tagung eröffnet den systematischen Dialog zwischen den Spielarten der dialektischen Anthropol... more Die Tagung eröffnet den systematischen Dialog zwischen den Spielarten der dialektischen Anthropologie und den Ansätzen zu einer negativen Anthropologie. Bisher gehören diese Ansätze weitgehend getrennten Diskursen an. Systematisch betrachtet ist ein Dialog beider Ansätze jedoch längst überfällig. Nicht nur gehören beide zur Disziplin der philosophischen Anthropologie, sondern sie teilen zentrale Prämissen und ihre anti-reduktionistische Stoßrichtung. Insbesondere teilen beide Herders Einsicht in die irreduzible Einheit von menschlicher Vernunft und Lebensform, d.h. sie teilen ein transformatives Verständnis der Einheit von Geist und Natur im Menschen.

Diese gemeinsame Grundthese der geistigen Natur des Menschen soll den Ausgangspunkt für den Dialog bilden. Deren unterschiedliche Auslegung soll im Rekurs auf die Anthropologien G.W.F. Hegels und Helmuth Plessners nachverfolgt werden. Denn Hegel und Plessner fungieren in beiden Ansätzen jeweils als zentrale, auch systematisch leitende Bezugspunkte. Die Tagung knüpft darin an jüngste Annäherungsversuche beider Diskurse an und geht in Absicht eines systematischen Dialogs den nächsten Schritt.

The conference "Grounding the Space of Reasons" revives the question of an ultimate ground and fi... more The conference "Grounding the Space of Reasons" revives the question of an ultimate ground and first principle of reason as put forward in early Classical German philosophy. This question, which emerged as a key desideratum for a system of knowledge around 1800, still presents a challenge to contemporary appropriations of idealism: How can the space of reasons itself be justified? Does autonomous reason need such grounding at all?

In addressing these questions, the conference "Grounding the Space of Reasons" focuses on the tension between the immanent normativity of logical space and the demand for an ultimate justification. The conference brings together renowned scholars and young researchers from different traditions in order to develop new perspectives on this topic in a creative environment.

We are pleased to announce the workshop "Models of human and divine

Talks by Simon Schuez

Talk at Padua-Berlin Workshop "Encountering Objectivity", 2-3 October 2023, University of Padua. ... more Talk at Padua-Berlin Workshop "Encountering Objectivity", 2-3 October 2023, University of Padua. Comments by Mattia Megli.

Hegel Kongress, Stuttgart, June 2023

Lektüre-Tagung der Internationalen Johann Gottlieb Fichte-Gesellschaft, "Das Prinzip des Selbstbe... more Lektüre-Tagung der Internationalen Johann Gottlieb Fichte-Gesellschaft, "Das Prinzip des Selbstbewusstseins und das Leben des Absoluten", Rammenau, May 2023.
Commentary on lectures 17-18.

Talk at the University of Potsdam, Institutskolloquium Philosophie, 10.11.2022

Talk at "Die politische Natur der menschlichen Lebensform", Erfurt, September 2022.

Ergo, 2023

Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie, 2023

Topoi Special Issue on "Naturalism: Challenges and New Perspectives", 2023

Fichte-Studien, 2019

in: Alina Noveanu, Julia Pfefferkorn, Antonino Spinelli (Eds.): Seefahrten des Denkens: Dietmar Koch zum 60. Geburtstag. Tübingen: Narr/Francke/Attempto 2017, pp. 19-31.

Hegel-Studien, 2023

To appear in Hegel-Studien.

Theologische Literaturzeitung (ThLZ), 2023

Review in Theologische Literaturzeitung (March 2023), Sp. 217-219.

Neue Zeitschrift für Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie, 2014

We are pleased to announce the workshop "Models of human and divine

Hegel Kongress, Stuttgart, June 2023

Talk at the University of Potsdam, Institutskolloquium Philosophie, 10.11.2022

Talk at "Die politische Natur der menschlichen Lebensform", Erfurt, September 2022.

Talk at "Hegels Philosophie der Realität: Ein bilinguales IWH-Symposium des Internationalen Netzw... more Talk at "Hegels Philosophie der Realität: Ein bilinguales IWH-Symposium des Internationalen Netzwerkes Hegels Relevanz", University of Heidelberg, March 2022

Talk at „Das Wahre, Gute und Schöne“ – Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Philosophie (DGPhi... more Talk at „Das Wahre, Gute und Schöne“ – Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Philosophie (DGPhil), September 2021.

Presented at "Hegel and Freedom” (Oxford, 2-3 September 2019), Joint Conference of the Hegel Soci... more Presented at "Hegel and Freedom” (Oxford, 2-3 September 2019), Joint Conference of the Hegel Society of Great Britain and the Society for German Idealism and Romanticism.

This paper investigates the concept of freedom in the “Conscience”-chapter of Hegel’s Phenomenology as a metaphysical notion articulating a middle-path between moral realism and anti-realism. I depart from the question whether the moral standard for action depends solely on an individual’s practical attitude, its ‘clear conscience’, or a more objective fact of the matter. I argue that Hegel transforms Conscience’s subjectivist notion of freedom and norms into the ontologically weightier notion of ‘setting free’ an independent standard which is not properly attributed to individuals but to their ‘spirit’.
In a first attempt to establish an objective moral standard, Hegel formulates a series of performative transcendental arguments. They try to show that Conscience is committed to an objective standard because it otherwise makes a self-undermining assertion, e.g. “that it acts [...] according to its own inner law”. However, the “hypocrisy” of Conscience evades such self-contradictions.
In a second step, Hegel rejects the idea that appealing to the established practice of an ethical community can provide an at least relatively objective standard. The key problem lies with the standpoint of “judging” that this presupposes: it is itself just the standpoint of a particular agent and it is parasitic on the assumption of an independently valid standard of judging. I show that this critique also holds for readings according to which the standard’s objectivity is explicable as ‘attitudes all the way down’.
The previous steps suggest that the subsequent interplay of “confession” and “forgiveness” aims not only at recognitive attitudes, but also has a metaphysical upshot. I reconstruct it as explicating the two-fold notion of ‘setting free’: in achieving recognition, both subjects grant independence to each other, but also to their shared moral standard. Rather than hypostasizing the standard, this reconceives of it as “God manifested in their midst”, i.e. substance become subject.

Conference "Grounding the Space of Reasons: The Question of First Principles in German Idealism a... more Conference "Grounding the Space of Reasons: The Question of First Principles in German Idealism and Today" at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, June 14-16th, 2018.

Workshop "Models of Human and Divine Intellect in Kant and Hegel", University of Tübingen, 16-18t... more Workshop "Models of Human and Divine Intellect in Kant and Hegel", University of Tübingen, 16-18th of February 2017.

Februar 2016, Forschungskolloquium Prof. Dr. Markus Gabriel, Universität Bonn.

IX. Kongress der Internationalen J. G. Fichte Gesellschaft, Universidad Nacional de Educación a D... more IX. Kongress der Internationalen J. G. Fichte Gesellschaft, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid 2015.

Tübinger Platon-Tage: "Platon und die Sprache", Universität Tübingen, April 2014.

Tagung "Analogie: Zur Aktualität eines philosophischen Grundbegriffs", Universität Tübingen 2013.

Cluj-Tübingen Symposion "Begegnungswelten", Universität Tübingen 2011.