Fichte, Schleiermacher and W. von Humboldt : on the creation of the University of Berlin

Abstract

On the eve of the foundation of the University of Berlin, Wilhelm von Humboldt was in charge of choosing between the various proposals submitted for the organization of the future institution. Since he had to choose for instance between the Fichte’s and Schleiermacher’s proposals, he retained the project of the latter, feeling closer to Schleiermacher’s liberal approach than with Fichte’s more ‘authoritarian’ views. In fact, the profound difference between Humboldt and Fichte is to be found in their respective conception of the ‘vocation of man’. For Humboldt the human being has to develop his/her own unique personality through the process of “Bildung”, whereas for Fichte the ultimate aim of human beings is to reach a point of perfection in which all individuals would be identical. This fundamental divergence has consequences on all aspects of the project: curriculum, student life and pedagogy.