Formalisme esthétique en Europe centrale – FORMESTH

The aim of this project is the analysis of the aesthetic formalism in Central Europe during the 19 and 20 centuries. The heritage of J-F Herbart and B. Bolzano are in this case crucial but unknown. Tree problems are also considered : 1/ history of aesthetic, 2/ the rise of human sciences, and particularly the rise of an aesthetic science 3/ the destiny of philosophy in Central europe. But the aesthetic formalism is at this time not alone to search the supremacy : the experimental aesthetic and the aesthetic of 'Einfühlung' (empathy) are also strong theoretical movements, and we have to analyse the differences between each other. Indeed, in such a specific place as the austro-hungarian empire, the power of formalism is also a political question : his success could be his capacity to ignore/to promote the nationalistic and religious questions. Anyway, the success of the philosophy is absolutely clear after the reform of university after 1848, and this chapter of the history of philosphy has to be written. The rise of human sciences is a question asked to Philosophy : how could philosophy still be the queen of sciences' This concept of 'science' (Wissenschaft) is also in the middle of the debates. The aesthetic formalism wants to be a science of aesthetic. But we have to understand how formalism explain what is history of art (Kunstwissenscahft), musicology (Musikwissenschaft), science of form (Formwissenschaft), science of culture (Kulturwissenschaft). The relation between aesthetic and psychology is also a big question, because formalism recognize the validity of a scientific psychology, but does not recognize the confusion of psychology and aesthetic. The rise of the humain science is also a psychological turn, and the birth of a scientific psychology, for example by Fechner or by Wundt. In an other way, psychology is also important for the aesthetic of empathy. We have to understand which concept of form each of them defends. This intellectual adventure is european. But the history of philosophy doesn't give enough place to the tradition of what we called earlier the 'east europe'. This a lost tradition. After the destruction of the Berlin's wall, a renew of this tradition is now possible. Our project is also an european one, and this is why it gathers together specialists of philosophy, of slavistic studies and german studies. This project will be a huge project of translations, which will take place on a wiki area. A feed back of this project, will be the french tradition of history of Philosophy, and to ask her silence on this topics.