To the question of central idea of speculative German idealism
This article is devoted to the problem of ascertainment of an idea which would be a common one for all theoretical systems of speculative German idealism (we mean Fichte’s and Schelling’s philosophical systems since the beginning of XIX century as well as Hegel’s philosophy). On the grounds of text analysis the author assumes that it’s probably an idea of God’s self-consciousness/self-knowledge. It is present in a number of Fichte’s late doctrines of science (since 1801) and in many Schelling’s works (since 1804). Besides, we can find this idea in Hegel’s philosophy. In these philosophical systems God’s self-consciousness/self-knowledge grounds the whole universe: material and spiritual world turn out the consequences of God’s striving for going beyond the bounds of His own limits. This idea can be traced in the majority of speculative-idealist systems in spite of their grave methodological, terminological differences and divergences of their world outlook.