Professor Royce's lecture last night was devoted to Fichte. Kant's doctrine held fast by existences themselves, but its development soon led to an unexpected opening into the theories of the idealists who ever doubt and deny all realities. This new philosophy thought that the infinite one pervades the whole world and that we in our righteousness are one with him. It is the essence of Christianity embodied in a speculative theory.
This phase of thought has its embodiment in Fichte. His was a life of bitter conflicts and higher aims. In early life he was a Spinozist, but the study of Kant brought about a change in him. He became Kant's follower and rose to fame. His doctrine, known as subjective idealism would be better classed as ethical idealism. The lecture closed with a discussion of Fichte's "Vocation of Man."
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