Quod revealed. Event and Difference in the Late Schelling

Abstract

This article investigates the transformation in Schelling’s ontology towards a philosophy of existence that prioritizes the event and the irreducibility of novelty over essential determinations. This exploration follows key stages: first, the reinterpretation of the Aristotelian distinction between Was (essence) and Daß (existence), where Schelling highlights the radical contingency of existence. Second, it examines his critique of scholasticism and the primacy of essences, showing how, for Schelling, existence emerges as an unpredictable event, independent of any logical plan. Finally, it explores how Schelling’s notion of freedom and his theory of the “dark ground” (Ungrund) engage in dialogue with Jacques Derrida’s contemporary thought, emphasizing the importance of the event as radical novelty. This shift towards a positive philosophy offers a vision in which the divine and the real reveal themselves through freedom and contingency. Through this journey, the article underscores Schelling’s relevance in addressing contemporary philosophical challenges related to difference and openness to the impossible.