Critical Analysis of the Idea of "Bildung" According to Humboldt

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD of Philosophy of Education, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Professor of Educational Sciences Department, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

3 Professor of Philosophy of Education Department, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

4 Associate Professor of Educational Sciences Department, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

Objective: The present paper analyzes and critically evaluates the concept of “Bildung” in the thought of Wilhelm von Humboldt and seeks to provide the necessary foundations for a proper understanding of this idea based on his major works. It first examines the difficulties involved in interpreting and translating the notion of Bildung, showing that due to its deep philosophical and cultural dimensions, this concept cannot be easily transferred across languages or contexts, and therefore requires a careful and context-sensitive approach within Humboldt’s intellectual framework.
Conclusion: To address the challenges surrounding the idea or concept of Bildung, the study proposes a methodology grounded in conceptual analysis with certain minor modifications. It then examines Humboldt’s formulation of the idea within the broader intellectual and historical frameworks of his time, arguing that any accurate understanding of his thought is impossible without reference to these contexts. Based on several of Humboldt’s works, the paper further explains the foundations and structure of Bildung and demonstrates that the unity and coherence of Humboldt’s philosophy can only be understood through what may be called the Metaphysics of Bildung—a philosophical perspective that seeks to interpret, in a metaphysical and systematic way, the nature and position of fundamental categories such as the human being, the world, knowledge, and human action.

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 52 - Serial Number 52
Articles
52 Autumn 2025
November 2025
Pages 471-494

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