Eduard Gottlob Zeller (; 22 January 1814,
Kleinbottwar19 March 1908,
Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
) was a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
philosopher
A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , translit=philosophos, meaning 'lover of wisdom'. The coining of the term has been attributed to the Greek th ...
and
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
theologian
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
of the
Tübingen School of theology. He was well known for his writings on
Ancient Greek philosophy
Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BC, marking the end of the Greek Dark Ages. Greek philosophy continued throughout the Hellenistic period and the period in which Greece and most Greek-inhabited lands were part of the Roman Empire ...
, especially
Pre-Socratic Philosophy
Pre-Socratic philosophy, also known as early Greek philosophy, is ancient Greek philosophy before Socrates. Pre-Socratic philosophers were mostly interested in cosmology, the beginning and the substance of the universe, but the inquiries of thes ...
, and most of all for his celebrated, multi-volume historical treatise ''The Philosophy of Greeks in their Historical Development'' (1844–52). Zeller was also a central figure in the revival of
neo-Kantianism
In late modern continental philosophy, neo-Kantianism (german: Neukantianismus) was a revival of the 18th-century philosophy of Immanuel Kant. The Neo-Kantians sought to develop and clarify Kant's theories, particularly his concept of the "thin ...
.
Life
Eduard Zeller was born at Kleinbottwar in
Württemberg
Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart.
Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Würt ...
, the son of a government official. He was educated first at the
Evangelical Seminaries of Maulbronn and Blaubeuren
The Protestant (Evangelische, Gr.) Seminaries of Maulbronn and Blaubeuren (''Evangelische Seminare Maulbronn und Blaubeuren'') in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, are two '' Gymnasien'' (high schools) and Protestant boarding schools in the Württembe ...
starting in 1831, and later at the
University of Tübingen
The University of Tübingen, officially the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen (german: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; la, Universitas Eberhardina Carolina), is a public research university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Wü ...
(the
Tübinger Stift
The Tübinger Stift () is a hall of residence and teaching; it is owned and supported by the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg, and located in the university city of Tübingen, in South West Germany. The Stift was founded as an Augusti ...
), then much under the influence of
Hegel
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (; ; 27 August 1770 – 14 November 1831) was a German philosopher. He is one of the most important figures in German idealism and one of the founding figures of modern Western philosophy. His influence extends a ...
. He received his doctorate in 1836 with a thesis on
Plato
Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
's
Laws
Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...
. In 1840 he was ''
Privatdozent
''Privatdozent'' (for men) or ''Privatdozentin'' (for women), abbreviated PD, P.D. or Priv.-Doz., is an academic title conferred at some European universities, especially in German-speaking countries, to someone who holds certain formal qualific ...
'' of
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
at Tübingen, in 1847 professor of theology at
Berne
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
, and in 1849 professor of theology at
Marburg
Marburg ( or ) is a university town in the German federal state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district (''Landkreis''). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has a population of approximate ...
, where he soon shifted to the philosophy faculty as the result of disputes with the Clerical party. He became professor of philosophy at the
University of Heidelberg
}
Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...
in 1862, moved to Berlin in 1872, and retired around 1895. He remained best known for his ''The Philosophy of Greeks in their Historical Development'' (1844–52). He continued to expand and improve this work to reflect new research, and the last edition appeared in 1902. It was translated into most European languages and became the standard textbook on Greek philosophy.
Zeller also published many works on theology and three volumes of philosophical essays. He was also one of the founders of the ''Theologische Jahrbücher'' (Theological Yearbooks), a periodical which became well known as the exponent of the
historical method
Historical method is the collection of techniques and guidelines that historians use to research and write histories of the past. Secondary sources, primary sources and material evidence such as that derived from archaeology may all be drawn o ...
of
David Strauss
David Friedrich Strauss (german: link=no, Strauß ; 27 January 1808 – 8 February 1874) was a German liberal Protestant theologian and writer, who influenced Christian Europe with his portrayal of the "historical Jesus", whose divine nature h ...
and
Christian Baur. He wrote much on the debate about whether theology was a kind of science (''Wissenschaft''). Like most of his contemporaries, including
Friedrich Theodor Vischer
Friedrich Theodor Vischer (; 30 June 180714 September 1887) was a German novelist, poet, playwright, and writer on the philosophy of art. Today, he is mainly remembered as the author of the novel '' Auch Einer'', in which he developed the concept ...
, he began with
Hegelianism
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (; ; 27 August 1770 – 14 November 1831) was a German philosopher. He is one of the most important figures in German idealism and one of the founding figures of modern Western philosophy. His influence extends a ...
, but subsequently developed a system of his own. He felt the necessity of going back to
Kant
Immanuel Kant (, , ; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German Philosophy, philosopher and one of the central Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemolo ...
and critically reconsidering the
epistemological
Epistemology (; ), or the theory of knowledge, is the branch of philosophy concerned with knowledge. Epistemology is considered a major subfield of philosophy, along with other major subfields such as ethics, logic, and metaphysics.
Episte ...
problems which, he believed, Kant had only partially resolved.
[
]
Philosophical work
Nonetheless, his accomplishments in the history of philosophy were far more influential than his contributions as an original thinker. Zeller's conception of the history of Greek thought was influenced by the dialectic
Dialectic ( grc-gre, διαλεκτική, ''dialektikḗ''; related to dialogue; german: Dialektik), also known as the dialectical method, is a discourse between two or more people holding different points of view about a subject but wishing ...
al philosophy of Hegel. Some critics maintain that Zeller was not alive enough to cultural context and to the idiosyncrasies
An idiosyncrasy is an unusual feature of a person (though there are also other uses, see below). It can also mean an odd habit. The term is often used to express eccentricity or peculiarity. A synonym may be "quirk".
Etymology
The term "idiosyncr ...
of individual thinkers. Some hold that he laid too much stress upon Hegel's notion of "concept
Concepts are defined as abstract ideas. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of the concept behind principles, thoughts and beliefs.
They play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied by s ...
", and relied too much on the Hegelian
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (; ; 27 August 1770 – 14 November 1831) was a German philosopher. He is one of the most important figures in German idealism and one of the founding figures of modern Western philosophy. His influence extends a ...
antithesis
Antithesis (Greek for "setting opposite", from "against" and "placing") is used in writing or speech either as a proposition that contrasts with or reverses some previously mentioned proposition, or when two opposites are introduced together f ...
of subject and object
Object may refer to:
General meanings
* Object (philosophy), a thing, being, or concept
** Object (abstract), an object which does not exist at any particular time or place
** Physical object, an identifiable collection of matter
* Goal, an ...
, though his history of Greek philosophy
Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BC, marking the end of the Greek Dark Ages. Greek philosophy continued throughout the Hellenistic period and the period in which Greece and most Greek-inhabited lands were part of the Roman Empir ...
was nonetheless influential and highly regarded. He received the highest recognition, not only from philosophers and learned societies all over the world, but also from the German emperor
The German Emperor (german: Deutscher Kaiser, ) was the official title of the head of state and hereditary ruler of the German Empire. A specifically chosen term, it was introduced with the 1 January 1871 constitution and lasted until the offi ...
and German people. In 1894 the Emperor Wilhelm II
Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (german: Kaiser) and King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until his abdication on 9 November 1918. Despite strengthening the German Empi ...
made him a "''Wirklicher Geheimrat''" with the title of "''Excellenz''," and his bust, along with that of Helmholtz
Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz (31 August 1821 – 8 September 1894) was a German physicist and physician who made significant contributions in several scientific fields, particularly hydrodynamic stability. The Helmholtz Association, ...
, was set up at the Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate (german: Brandenburger Tor ) is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin, built on the orders of Prussian king Frederick William II after restoring the Orangist power by suppressing the Dutch popular unrest. One ...
near the statues erected to the Emperor and Empress Frederick.
The ''Philosophie der Griechen'' has been translated into English by S. F. Alleyne (2 vols, 1881) in sections: S. F. Alleyne, ''History of Greek Philosophy to the time of Socrates'' (1881
''Volume 1''
an
''Volume 2''
O. J. Reichel
''Socrates and the Socratic Schools''
(1868; 2nd ed. 1877; 3rd ed. 1885); S. F. Alleyne and A. Goodwin
''Plato and the Older Academy''
(1876); Benjamin Francis Conn Costelloe and J. H. Muirhead, ''Aristotle and the Earlier Peripatetics'' (189
''Volume 1''
an
''Volume 2''
O. J. Reichel
''Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics''
(1870 and 1880); S. F. Alleyne
''History of Eclecticism in Greek Philosophy''
(1883).
Zeller was also, in his ''Philosophie der Griechen'', one of the first to use the word 'Superhuman' (''übermensch''), later central in Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (; or ; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, Prose poetry, prose poet, cultural critic, Philology, philologist, and composer whose work has exerted a profound influence on contemporary philo ...
and the propaganda of the Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...
, in adjectival form as a technical term in philosophy. He said "... thus the happiness in her can be designated superhuman (''übermenschliche'') while in contrast the happiness flowing from ethical virtues is merely a characteristic human good.'["...''so kann die Glückseligkeit, welche in ihr besteht, auch als eine übermenschliche, die Glückseligkeit der ethischen Tugend dagegen als das eigenthümlich menschliche Gut bezeichnet werden.''"]
Works
The ''Philosophie'' appeared in an abbreviated form as ''Grundriss der Geschichte der Griechischen Philosophie'' (1883; 5th ed. 1898); English transl. by Alleyne and Evelyn Abbott (1886), under the title
''Outlines of the History of Greek Philosophy''
Among his other works are:
*''Platonische Studien'' (1839)
*''Die Apostelgeschichte kritisch untersucht'' (1854; English translation J Dare, 1875–76
''Volume 1''
an
''Volume 2''
*''Entwickelung des Monotheismus bei den Griechen'' (1862)
*''Strauss und Renan'' (1864);
''English translation''
1866)
*''Geschichte der christlichen Kirche'' (1898)
*''Geschichte der deutschen Philosophie seit Leibniz'' (1873, ed. 1875)
*''Staat und Kirche'' (1873)
*''Strauss in seinen Leben und Schriften'' 1874;
''English translation''
1874)
*''Über Bedeutung und Aufgabe der Erkenntnisstheorie'' (1862)
*''Über teleologische und mechanische Naturerklärung'' (1876)
*''Vorträge und Abhandlungen'' (1865–84)
*''Religion und Philosophie bei den Römern'' (1866, ed. 1871)
*''Philosophische Aufsätze'' (1887).
See also
* Wilhelm Nestle
Wilhelm Nestle (; 16 April 1865, Stuttgart – 18 April 1959, Stuttgart) was a German philologist and philosopher.
Biography
Wilhelm Nestle was the only child of High Court Attorney Christian Gottlieb Nestle (died 1879) and Maria Christiane ...
References
*
External links
*
Zeller's works on Archive.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zeller, Eduard
1814 births
1908 deaths
19th-century essayists
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