Fries, Jakob Friedrich

PHILOSOPHER (GERMANY)
BORN 23 Aug 1773, Barby, Sachsen-Anhalt - DIED 10 Aug 1843, Jena, Thüringen
GRAVE LOCATION Jena, Thüringen: Alter Friedhof

Jakob Friedrich Fries studied theology in Niesky and philosophy in Leizig and Jena, where Fichte was his teacher. He was promoted in 1801 and in 1805 he was appointed professor. In the same year he went to Heidelberg where he was professor for Philosophy and Mathematics. He published "Neue oder anthropologische Kritik der Vernunft" in 1807 and in 1811 "System der Logik". In 1812 he became a corresponding member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences.

In 1816 he returned to Jena as professor of Theoretical Philosophy. He was a liberal and he supported the Burschenschaft. In a pamphlet he argued for the banishment of Jews from public functions in Germany. Karl Sand was among his students. In 1819 the Carlsbad Decrees led to his forced retirement. In 1820 Hegel criticised his philosophy in his "Grundlinien der Philosophie des Rechts" (1820). Fries responded that Hegel defended the existing order as well as his own position.

The duke of Weimar continued to pay Fries and in 1824 he was allowed to resume his readings in Mathematics and Physics. In 1830 he also received permission to teach Philosophy again. In 1838 he finally received the unrestricted right to lecturing. He died in 1843 in Jena.

Related persons
• was pupil of Fichte, Johann Gottlieb
• was opponent of Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
• was teacher of Sand, Karl Ludwig

Images

The grave of Jakob Friedrich Fries at the Alter Friedhof, Jena.
Picture by Androom (02 Aug 2016)

 


Friese-Green, William

Published: 10 Feb 2019
Last update: 20 Apr 2022