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Tuesday, September 6, 2005

The State As Art

Posted by on September 6 at 4:58 AM

I have just read the most amazing thing. In regards to the state, early 19th century German idealist philosopher Schelling criticized Fichte, another German idealist of that age, for seeing the state simply as a means of protecting the rights of the individual. For Schelling, “the state ought to appear as a work of art,” and philosophers like Fichte must not ignore “all positive arrangements for the energy, the rhythmic movements and beauty of public life.” Absolutely wonderful! These words, which were translated from German, have forever changed my life.