Johannes Nikolaus Tetens
Johannes Nikolaus Tetens (Danish: Johan Nicolai Tetens; born September 16, 1736, in Tetenbüll, Duchy of Schleswig; Today: North Friesland; † August 17, 1807 in Copenhagen ) was a German philosopher, mathematician, scientist of the Enlightenment. In the English-speaking world, he is still called ' the German Hume '. His philosophical work had great influence on Immanuel Kant After his time as a journalist and university scholar of German reconnaissance aircraft made a career in financial management in Copenhagen.
Life and work
Born the son of an innkeeper, Tetens studied at the University of Rostock and Copenhagen mathematics and physics. In 1760 he obtained his doctorate in 1759 after he had acquired a master's degree. 1760 appeared his philosophical work to a epistemological problem: thoughts of some causes why in metaphysics are just outright truths and a year later his writing: Memoirs of the proofs of God's existence. He competed at the newly founded University Biitzow and was appointed here in 1763 as professor of physics, but also taught philosophy. In 1765 he accepted the rectorship at the local Pädagogium. There, important writings on language research about the origin of language and writing, in 1772 and 1775 to the philosophy of science concerning the general speculativische philosophy emerged.
1776, he was appointed professor at the University of Kiel, where she taught mathematics and philosophy until in 1785. During this time, the publication of his major work falls Philosophical experiments about human nature and its development, in which he is very much based on David Hume.
1786, he broke off his academic career and traveled the North Sea coast to inspect the condition of the dikes. The result is the 1788 published book trips to the marshes of the North Sea.
1789 moved to Copenhagen Tetens, appeared there in the civil service and was promoted by the assessor at the College for Financial Director of the Finance Directorate cash.
After that, he was a deputy in the financial College and co-director of the Royal Bank, the Despositenkasse, the widow fund and supply Institute in Copenhagen. There he published a book on the widow supply. In 1787 he became a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences. 1790 he was appointed Privy Councillor, 1792 Actual Privy Councillor and later to the functionary.
Philosophical works
Tetens was influenced by Christian Wolff, who was referring to John Locke, the English empiricism. The work of David Hume, he treated one of the first in Germany. About his phenomenalistic position he exerted a significant influence on Immanuel Kant. In particular, his main work was important for Kant's work on the " Critique of Pure Reason (1781 ). " Tetens Kant's terminology, which appeared completely new contemporaries, partially pre-embossed.
He sought a " psychological analysis of the soul" according to scientific methods. He wanted to determine the mental capacity that he first difference in thinking, feeling and willing. His contemporaries as Tetens as the " German Locke ".
His philosophy of language work achieved great fame. Tetens authored numerous papers in the field of mathematics, physics, Jurispondenz, psychology and philosophy. He is considered an important representative of the German Enlightenment.
He tried in this work to combine the empiricism of Hume with the German academic philosophy ( Leibniz and Christian Wolff), an intention which he had in common with Kant. Today Tetens is much less present in the public consciousness as Kant
Writings (selection )
- Thoughts of a few reasons why only a few foregone truths in metaphysics, 1760
- Memoirs of the proofs of God's existence, 1761
- About the origin of language and writing, 1772
- About the general speculativische Philosophy, 1775
- Philosophical experiments about human nature and its development. 2 vols Weidmann, Leipzig 1777 Volume 1 and digitized full text in German Text Archive at Google Books
- Volume 2 digitized and full text archive in the German text in Google Books