Abstract

The article undertakes a reconstruction of the historical changes in the understanding of the term »projection«. The analysis begins with a consideration of the current discussion about the problem why the term was suddenly employed as a category of religious criticism in the middle of the 19th century. The article makes clear, that the existing literature has not satisfactory clarified the problem. Afterwards, by means of a reconstruction of the historical development of the term »projection«, the author undertakes to elucidate the question, seeking to lay a new foundation for the discussion. The article concludes that the radical changes in the understanding of the term »projection« only can be understood properly in the light of the drastic historical changes in cultural perception and media.