An "Encounter" Between Young Engels And Old Schelling

The study of Young Engels`s thought is an important part of Marxist philosophy research.And the Berlin Period is a crucial stage of the development of Young Engels’s thought. One ofthe events is very worthy of study, namely Engels criticize old Schelling in Berlin1841. As afaithful Young Hegelian member, Engels is always standing on the ground of Hegel rationalismto criticize Schelling, and his critical logic is also under the influence of Hegel’s philosophy. Inthe process of the critique he also used the concept of Hegel in Logic many times. Schelling unddie Offenbarung, which obviously reflect "critique of Hegel’s type", is the most important text ofEngels among four articles criticizing Schelling. Furthermore the concept of "Potenz" is afulcrum of Schelling`s "New Philosophy", thus criticizing "Potenz" naturally becomes the keypoint of Engels repudiating philosophy of Old Schelling, which contains the feature ofirrationalism and mysticism.This thesis will attempt to analyze the critique of Engels on "Potenz" of Schelling, so as toreveal the particularly profound enlightenment rational tradition which is behind Engels`thoughts and the inner irreconcilable divergence between Engels and Schelling. In addition, thisPaper will take Schelling’s works into consideration, and make appropriate comments onEngels`s criticism and Old Schelling from the perspective of the history of today’s westernacademic thought.