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. &lsquo;The New or Anthropological Critique of Reason&rsquo; (1807) is his most important book. He wrote also &lsquo;Handbook to Psychical Anthropology&rsquo; (1820); &lsquo;System of Metaphysics&rsquo; (1824), etc.