German Classical Aesthetics: The Debate between Poetry and Philosophy

Abstract

The debate between poetry and philosophy is an important part of the German classical aesthetics debate. Kant not only emphasizes that aesthetic judgment is not cognitive judgment, but also regards the judgment on which aesthetic judgment depends as one of human cognitive ability. It not only emphasizes the distinction between beauty and goodness, but also thinks that it can transition from natural beauty to morality. Schiller broke Kant's compromise position and argued that beauty not only does not corrupt morality, but is the foundation of freedom. Under the guidance of rational spirit and dialectic spirit, Hegel reconciled the conflict between poetry and philosophy. The debate between poetry and philosophy has long been a normal part of European classical aesthetics, so this paper makes a deep exploration of this topic from the perspective of German classical aesthetics, and tries to find a foothold for the debate from the ideological viewpoints of many philosophers.