Wilhelm Dilthey

Life

• 1833: Born in Biebrich, Rhineland, Germany.
• 1852: Began studying theology and philosophy at the University of Heidelberg.
• 1853: Transferred to the University of Berlin.
• 1864: Earned his doctorate and completed his habilitation.
• 1866–1882: Professor at the University of Basel, then Kiel and Breslau.
• 1882: Returned to the University of Berlin as a professor of philosophy.
• 1883: Published the first volume of his Introduction to the Human Sciences.
• 1900–1910: Developed his mature philosophy of "Understanding" and lived experience.
• 1911: Died in Seis am Schlern, Austria-Hungary (now Italy).

People Who Influenced Their Thought

• Immanuel Kant: Sought to create a "Critique of Historical Reason" parallel to Kant's critique of pure reason.
• Friedrich Schleiermacher: His work on hermeneutics, particularly the interpretation of texts and authors, deeply influenced Dilthey.
• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel: Was influenced by Hegel's historical consciousness while rejecting his metaphysical system.
• Johann Gottfried Herder: His ideas about history, culture, and the unique spirit of different peoples informed Dilthey's thought.
• John Stuart Mill: Engaged with Mill's empiricism and positivism, but sought to establish a different foundation for the human sciences.

Main Ideas and Publications

• Distinction between Natural and Human Sciences: Argued that Naturwissenschaften (natural sciences) explain phenomena through causal laws, while Geisteswissenschaften (human sciences) understand human expressions through interpretation.
• Hermeneutic Circle: The concept that understanding a text's parts requires understanding the whole, and vice versa—a process applicable to all human understanding.
• Lived Experience (Erlebnis): Emphasized direct, inner experience as the fundamental starting point for all human sciences.
• Understanding (Verstehen): The specific method of the human sciences—grasping the inner life and intentions behind outward expressions.
• Historical Consciousness: The awareness that all human phenomena are historically conditioned and must be understood in context.
• Introduction to the Human Sciences (1883): His major work outlining the foundation and methodology of the human sciences.
• The Formation of the Historical World in the Human Sciences (1910): Developed his mature hermeneutic philosophy.
• The Rise of Hermeneutics (1900): A key essay outlining his theory of understanding and interpretation.
• Poetry and Experience (1906): His studies in literary theory and the imagination.

Controversies around his main work or thought

• Psychologism Criticism: Early critics accused him of reducing understanding to psychological empathy, a charge he addressed in his later work by emphasizing objective cultural expressions.
• Relativism: His historical consciousness raised concerns about historical relativism—if all understanding is historically conditioned, can we achieve objective knowledge?
• Science/Humanities Divide: Some philosophers questioned the rigor of his distinction between natural and human sciences, arguing for more methodological unity.
• Metaphysical Ambiguity: He was criticized for being caught between German idealism and modern positivism without fully committing to either.

Key People Influenced by Their Thought

• Martin Heidegger: Built upon Dilthey's concepts of historicity and lived experience in Being and Time.
• Hans-Georg Gadamer: Developed philosophical hermeneutics directly from Dilthey's foundation.
• Max Weber: Adapted the concept of Verstehen (understanding) for sociological method.
• Karl Jaspers: Applied Dilthey's approach to psychology and philosophy.
• R. G. Collingwood: The British philosopher's philosophy of history was significantly influenced by Dilthey.

Legacy

He established the philosophical foundation for the human sciences through his development of hermeneutics and his crucial distinction between explaining natural phenomena and understanding human expressions.