The Expression of “Pure I” in Fichte’ and Yunus Emre’s Discourse

Abstract

This paper covers the common themes in Fichte’s and Yunus Emre’s discourse concerning discussion and expression of “pure I”. For that end, the paper focuses on the transformation of the modern subject, which began with Descartes in the Western mindset, into the absolute subject in the process leading up to German Idealism, and on the expression of “pure I”, the foundation of everything in the Fichte’s system. The Fichte’s main goal will be to unify the duality of subject and object, to explain the existence as the domain and product of I on the basis of a single principle. Similarly, the establishing of being by pure I will be discussed and treated as a common discourse for Yunus Emre as well as for Fichte. The paper will emphasize, in the discourse of both thinkers, the mediation of self with non-self and the transformation of man into an ethical being, and that it will be possible for the self to become conscious of itself through this mediation. The main theme of the paper will be the idea that the human being can become human with one/another human being, and that the voluntary subject’s self-consciousness will substantiate through its own actions. Fichte and Yunus Emre expressed that an ethical subject and an ideal social life may be possible only under the ideal of common humanity and indicated that Pure/Divine I reveals itself through finite and limited selves. Both points of view emphasize that an approach that does not take cognizance of human being and humanity cannot comprehend a divine life and cannot experience it as a morality in itself. According to Fichte and Yunus, it is an imperative necessity of being human to assume the responsibility for every existence since all existence is the manifestation of the I. It is considered that the belief and morality of a will that does not take human being seriously, does not see every I (self) as precious as itself and does not reveal itself for another human being as an act of being in the practical reason, will be suspicious. Both thinkers considered human being as a free and unique being and requested that human being should also build its own essential content outside of itself.