The Ground Quakes & Freedom Wakes
Delving into Schelling's Masterpiece:
The Freedom Essay

Join us for an in-depth course exploring F.W.J. Schelling's 1809 Freedom Essay (Philosophical Inquiries into the Nature of Human Freedom), widely considered his most mature and final major published work. Written at the young age of 34, this "giant philosophical achievement" in German Idealism served as Schelling's robust defense and response to fierce criticism from peers like Fichte and Hegel, as well as the religious and academic elites of his time. Schelling sought a new philosophical direction to "strike down... the many prejudices and... much loose and shallow chatter."

View the course announcement video here

This course is designed to guide you through the text's famously demanding arguments, shedding light on Schelling's complex unfolding of:

• Freedom and Necessity
• Good and Evil
• Theodicy (the problem of evil)
• The Ground (the un-grounded source of existence)

For too long, Schelling was relegated to a "stepping stone" toward Hegel. However, a significant revival of interest in the Freedom Essay—beginning in the mid-20th century, particularly among German thinkers influenced by Tillich and Heidegger, and continuing to the present day—highlights its enduring complexity and importance. This course embraces this renewed scholarly attention, what Judith Norman calls Die Schellingalter (the Schelling age).

Schelling believed that understanding the essence of freedom requires a complete knowledge of the whole, revealed through a philosophical system that encompasses both philosophy and the world.

No prior familiarity with Schelling is required—only a willingness to think deeply and wrestle with these fundamental, resonant questions. Bring your curiosity and openness, and follow Schelling on this journey to the ground, where revelation awaits.

• 📝 Enrollment opens 30th
• 🏛️ 8 weeks of seminars
• 📅 First seminar: October 5 (10:00 EST / 16:00 CEST )
• 📍 Where: Online via Zoom
• 🧑‍🏫 Instructor: Christopher Satoor

✨ Find course information here ✨

Get clarity in our featured video series. We sit down with Christopher to explore Schelling's philosophy, including his foundational work Ages of the World, the Freedom Essay, and broader concepts on the sources of thought. Click below to learn more!

In Discussion on Schelling's Ages of the World

Schelling and Romanticism

Sources of Thought: Becoming A Multi-dimensional Thinker

Check also out Christopher's discussion with Dr. Sean J. McGrath on Schelling from his YouTube channel The Young Idealist.

On the Life & Philosophy of F.W.J. Schelling (1775-1854) with Dr. Sean J. McGrath (MUN)

Christopher Satoor has also written an introductory guide for students and enthusiasts who want some help navigating through Schelling's Freedom Essay.

Thank you for investing your time in rigorous thought! We hope the upcoming course has piqued your interest. We'll be back soon with more videos, essays, and explorations to fuel your intellectual journey!

Yours Sincerely,

Christopher Satoor, Filip Niklas and Ahilleas Rokni