God promotes both well-being and virtue, he can follow virtue. Here,
I think, an argument parallel to Pietism can be detected since the act
of trust is not based on knowledge, but a primary act of recognition
may bring about subsequent rational confirmation.
At the same time, Spalding makes an attempt at intersubjectivity
and reciprocity in claiming that the subject can solve his own conflict
only through an appeal to another subject who has both created and
solved this conflict. The passage quoted expresses mutuality: before
upward recognition, the divine being has equipped the human subject
with basic feelings, creating a horizon of expectation. In the end, the
divine counterpart will give everything as response to the recognizing
subject. This attempt at reciprocity remains, however, somewhat
isolated, as Spalding only considers the human perspective on most
occasions, as the title of his book suggests.
Morality and religion are intertwined in both argumentative dir-
ections. In the passage quoted above, only religion can resolve a moral
conflict. On the other hand, Spalding considers a little later that the
understanding of religion always assumes a‘serious practical recog-
nition’(Anerkennung) of morality. Without an unconditional sense
of duty, religion cannot sustain its relevance. The ability to distin-
guish between right and wrong is indispensable for religion.^90
Proceeding from these foundational passages of Spalding’s argu-
ment, his relationship to Fichte appears to be complex. On the one
hand, Spalding employs the terminology ofAnerkennungandRecht
that is evident in Fichte. The idea of being in relationship or connec-
tion is also common to both, personal subjects being properly known
only within the nexus of relationships sustained by recognition. The
idea of recognizing a world ruler may also be considered as coming
from legal philosophy. On the other hand, Spalding’s understanding
and use of these concepts differs considerably from Fichte’s. A claim
that Spalding has been influenced by Fichte would thus be based on
Spalding’s frequent use of these concepts in 1797 rather than any
close resemblance between their arguments. Spalding’s argumentative
use ofAnerkennungis original in this respect. The evidence found in
German historical dictionaries neither pays attention to Spalding nor
shows clear parallels with his views.^91
(^90) Religion,34–5.
(^91) The following dictionaries have been consulted:Adelung,Goethe,Grimm,
Grimm-Neubearbeitung,Trübner.
The Modern Era 133