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December 29, 2007
man's final end
Man’s final end is to subordinate to himself all that is irrational, to master it freely and according to his own laws. This is a final end which is completely inachievable and must always remain so- so long, that is, as man is to remain man and is not supposed to become God. It is part of the concept of man that his ultimate goal be unobtainable and his path thereto be infinitely long. Thus it is not man’s vocation to reach this goal. But he can and he should draw nearer to it, and his true vocation qua man, that is, in so far as he is a rational but finite, a sensuous but free being, lies in endless approximation toward this goal. Now if, as we surely can, we call this total harmony with oneself “perfection,” in the highest sense of the word, then perfection is man’s highest and unattainable goal. His vocation, however, is to perfect himself without end.
Fichte - Lectures Concerning the Scholar's Vocation
Posted by amin at December 29, 2007 2:18 AM