FICHTE’S DOCTRINE OF SCIENCE AS APPLIED PHILOSOPHY

Abstract

We argue the thesis that Fichte's Doctrine of Science can be understood as an applied philosophy in two ways. On the one hand, through how Fichte sees the role of scientists, philosophers, teachers, and educators in society, and on the other hand, based on biographical details from Fichte's life, especially his way of dealing with philosophy. Only Fichte's definition of a scientist, to whom he leaves the responsibility for the overall progress of society, clearly determines how a scientist should deal with science, that is, a philosopher with philosophy. Fichte's general teaching practice and his public activity testify to the fact that he does not see the role of philosophy in its mere theoretical status, even if it was the queen of all sciences, but in putting it in the service of community advancement. The role of the Doctrine of Science in Fichte is placed in teaching and educational practice, but also in various forms of public speaking. In one of the mentioned forms, the general application of the Doctrine of Science is, in fact, its essence.