For philosophers of German idealism and early German romanticism, the imagination is central to issues ranging from hermeneutics to transcendental logic and from ethics to aesthetics. This volume of new essays brings together, for the first time, comprehensive and critical reflections on the significances of the imagination during this period, with essays on Kant and the imagination, the imagination in post-Kantian German idealism, and the imagination in early German romanticism. The essays explore the many and varied uses of the imagination and discuss whether they form a coherent or shared notion or whether they embody points of philosophical divergence within these traditions. They shed new light on one of the most important and enigmatic aspects of human nature, as understood in the context of a profoundly influential era of western thought.

‘a timely collection for specialists, one that should be of interest to anyone working on Kant or German Idealism and Romanticism.’

Jessica Williams Source: Journal of the History of Philosophy

‘This is a work for students and scholars of the history of philosophy and those interested in exploring the role and relevance of the imagination for thinking through contemporary problems in epistemology, aesthetics, and other areas of philosophical inquiry … Highly recommended.’

J. A. Fischel Source: Choice Reviews

‘The 11 essays of The Imagination in German Idealism and Romanticism represent the first systematic attempt to provide a coherent picture … of the concept of imagination across some of the most influential years of the history of philosophy. This volume plots a course through the most significant figures of German Idealism and Romanticism … toward a variety of themes which can be said to mirror the variety of roles that the imagination plays.’

Luigi Filieri Source: Journal of Transcendental Philosophy