Ernst Laas

Ernst Laas (* June 16, 1837 Fürstenwalde / Spree, † July 25, 1885 Strasbourg ) was a German educator and philosopher.

He attended the Joachimsthalsche School and the University of Berlin, where he initially theology, then Friedrich Adolf Trendelenburg's line of philosophy, in particular the study of Aristotle, was dedicated. In 1860 he became a teacher at Frederick High School in 1868 at the Wilhelm Gymnasium ( Berlin? ). In 1872 he was appointed professor of philosophy at the newly founded University of Strasbourg.

Laas has acquired from his teacher whose " historical method ", but not its metaphysical results. The result of his critical studies of the history of philosophy, especially Aristotle and Kant, but was a more decidedly prominent inclination to ( French and English ) empiricism, the logical conclusion of his major work: " idealism and positivism " (Berlin 1879-84, 3 ​​vols forms. ). While he understands that the represented especially by Plato and Kant 's efforts to build a system of supernatural knowledge of the world with the help prior to all experience in the spirit situated ontological and ethical terms, it refers to this as he considers " science alone legitimate " position for the, as an attempt a uniform, even the character requirements for sufficient wisdom " on the solid basis of experience" to justify.

As an educator himself Laas has primarily through his epoch-making publication " The German essay in the first high school classes " (Berlin 1868, 2nd edition 1877) and " The German lessons in higher educational establishments " (Berlin 1872, 2nd edition 1886) deserves made. Are still called by his writings: " The pedagogy of John Sturm" (Berlin, 1872); " Kant's Analogies of Experience " (Berlin 1876) and " Kant's position in the history of the conflict between faith and knowledge " (Berlin 1882). His " literary legacy " (edited by Kerry, Vienna 1887) contains essays smaller educational content.