Das Ich und seine Unruhe. Bemerkungen zur Emotionalisierung des Reisens im 18. Jahrhundert

Abstract

In his Nouveaux Essais sur l’entendement humain, Leibniz claims to explain the human ego («Moi») as the result of its subconscious causing all minds to be constantly uneasy. In this view, each person is a windowless monad, who is able to perceive only what complies with its individual structure. Leibniz’ psychology, thus, permits a better understanding of an important paradigm shift in the history of travelling during the age of enlightenment: from ‚encyclopedic‘ to ‚sentimental‘ journeys (mostly to Italy). Both ways of experiencing Italy will be illustrated based on the examples of Johann Caspar Goethe (Viaggio per l’Italia, 1740) and his son Johann Wolfgang Goethe (Italienische Reise, 1786-1788).