Selbstunterredungskunst

Abstract

Abstract The essay highlights the fundamental importance of internal rhetoric in philosophical romanticism. First, it exposes Schelling’s general thesis that the art of inner conversation (‚innere Unterredungskunst‘) is the archetype of philosophical thinking. Furthermore, Shaftesbury’s background theory in his Soliloquy or, Advice to an Author is discussed, which characterizes the Art of soliloquy by the five basic operations of self-seperation, self-reflection, self-division, self-verbalisation, self-dialogization. Finally – returning to homo rhetorico-philosophicus Schelling – his romantic philosophy of the Ages of the World (Weltalter) is interpreted as a product of his internal rhetoric. Schelling’s philosophical Art of inner conversation combines here the invention of speculative history with the empowerment and self-invention of his author.