The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Fries, Jakob Friedrich

FRIES, Jakob Friedrich, German philosopher: b. Barby, Saxony, 23 Aug. 1773; d. Wartburg, Germany, 10 Aug. 1843. He received his education at Leipzig and Jena and in 1801 was appointed lecturer in philosophy at the latter university. He was professor of philosophy and elementary mathematics at Heidelberg 1806-16, after which he held the chair of theoretical philosophy at Jena. He is a link between Kant's system and the so-called historical school. According to his theory philosophy is founded in the last analysis in subjective knowledge and it is propounded thoroughly only by means of psychological analysis. ‘The New or Anthropological Critique of Reason’ (1807) is his most important book. He wrote also ‘Handbook to Psychical Anthropology’ (1820); ‘System of Metaphysics’ (1824), etc.