Walter Benjamin: Inzicht en ervaring. Verslag van een onderzoek naar de epistemologische denkbeelden van Walter Benjamin

Abstract

Understanding and Experience Walter Benjamin developed and practiced a concept of understanding and experience that – contrary to the corresponding concepts of the empirical sciences – leaves room for religious and historical insight. Benjamin did so starting from Kants fundamental concept ‘transcendental conscience’. Nevertheless Benjamin radically criticised Kants epistemology for its lowliest possible concept of experience and its metaphysical emptiness. Where Kant claims that the world consists of general laws and contingent states of affairs, Benjamin claims that the fenomena of the experiential world are the linguistic expressions of spiritual beings, that are independent of experience themselves.