The Philosopher of the Unconscious

Eduard von Hartmann, (1842—1906), German metaphysical philosopher, called “the philosopher of the unconscious,” who sought to reconcile two conflicting schools of thought, rationalism and irrationalism, by emphasizing the central role of the unconscious mind.

The object of his philosophy was to unite the “idea” of Hegel with the “will” of Schopenhauer in his doctrine of the Absolute Spirit, or, as he preferred to characterize it, spiritual monism. He held that ” a will which does not will something is not.” The world was produced by will and idea, but not as conscious; for consciousness, instead of being essential, is accidental to will and idea-the two poles of ” the Unconscious.” Matter is both idea and will. In organic existences, in instinct, in the human mind, on the field of history, the unconscious will acts as though it possessed consciousness, that is, as though it were aware of the ends and of the infallible means for their realization. Consciousness arises from the active will and the will’s opposition to this condition. Because of the wisdom displayed in the action of the Unconscious, this is the best possible world; only this does not prove that the world is good, or that the world would not be better, the latter of which is true. Human life labors under three illusions:

(1) that happiness is possible in this life, which came to an end with the Roman Empire; In the first stage, happiness is an illusion in so far as it is presumed that happiness is attained in this life, while in reality there is far more suffering and pain than happiness and pleasure.

(2) that life will be crowned with happiness in another world, which science is rapidly dissipating; The second stage of the illusion of happiness is the belief that it awaits man in the next life, while in truth happiness concerns only this corporeal life.

(3) that happy social well-being, although postponed, can at last be realized on earth, a dream which will also ultimately be dissolved. Man’s only hope lies in “final redemption from the misery of volition and existence into the painlessness of non-being and non-willing.” No mortal may quit the task of life, but each must do his part to hasten the time when in the major portion of the human race the activity of the Unconscious shall be ruled by intelligence, and this stage reached, in the simultaneous action of many persons volition will resolve upon its own non-continuance, and thus idea and will be once more reunited in the Absolute. The third stage involves the undisputed faith in the continual progress of mankind. This progressive attainment of a heaven on earth, Hartmann believed, is not less illusory then a heaven in the sky.The realization.

Hartmann claimed that his main influence was Kant, especially his work on the subjective workings of the mind. In 1899 – 1900, Hartmann published his Gestchichte der Metaphysik (History of Metaphysics), which traced the conception and role of metaphysics from Socrates to his contemporary, Friedrich Nietzsche. This interest in the history of philosophy was common in 19th century German philosophy, and his emphasis on the role of metaphysics was also not atypical, as evidenced most notoriously in the work of Martin Heidegger.