The novel Auch Einer introduced the theory of the spite of objects, a concept suggesting that inanimate items intentionally conspire against humans. Developed by Friedrich Theodor Vischer, this comic perspective reflects the broader intellectual life of a man who served as a theologian, parliamentarian, and aesthetician within the Kingdom of Württemberg throughout the nineteenth century.
Academic Career and Political Engagement
Born in Ludwigsburg in 1807, Vischer pursued studies at the Tübinger Stift and the University of Tübingen. He began his career as a university teacher in 1835, eventually becoming a full professor by 1844. His tenure was interrupted by a two-year suspension imposed by the government following an outspoken inaugural address. During the political unrest of 1848, he served as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament, representing democratic interests before moving to Zurich in 1855 to take up a professorship. He returned to Germany in 1866 to work at the University of Tübingen and the Polytechnikum of Stuttgart.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Philosophical Contributions
Vischer authored Aesthetik, oder Wissenschaft des Schönen, a four-volume work published between 1846 and 1857. The text attempted to analyze art through a Hegelian dialectic, categorizing beauty as the idea manifested in limited appearance. He explored the beautiful, the sublime, and the comic, mapping them across various media including poetry, music, and plastic art. While he initially relied on highly technical Hegelian frameworks, his later years saw him shift toward concepts of sensuous completeness and cosmic harmony.
Literary Works and Legacy
Beyond his aesthetic treatises, Vischer was a prolific writer of poetry, plays, and novels. He published a parody of Goethe's Faust in 1862 under the pseudonym Deutobold Symbolizetti Allegoriowitsch Mystifizinsky. His autobiographical account, Mein Lebensgang, appeared in 1874, followed by his most noted novel, Auch Einer, in 1879. Vischer was a member of both the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He died in Gmunden in 1887, having been recognized as a Commander of the Friedrich Order.
Fast facts
- Born: 1807, Ludwigsburg
- Died: 1887, Gmunden
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Württemberg
- Academic Employers: University of Tübingen, ETH Zurich, University of Stuttgart
- Notable Work: Aesthetik, oder Wissenschaft des Schönen
- Political Role: Member of the Frankfurt Parliament
- Awards: Commander of the Friedrich Order
Questions readers ask
What is the spite of objects?
It is a comic theory developed by Vischer in his novel Auch Einer, positing that inanimate objects act with malicious intent toward humans.
Which major philosophical system did Vischer utilize in his early work?
He attempted to explain art using the Hegelian dialectic, focusing on antitheses such as form and content, and objective and subjective elements.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Tübingen, University of Stuttgart and ETH Zurich
- Fields: philosophy
