Elmar Holenstein (born 7 January 1937 in
Gossau, Canton
St. Gallen) is a
Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internation ...
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 ...
with research interests in the fields of
philosophical psychology,
philosophy of language
In analytic philosophy, philosophy of language investigates the nature of language and the relations between language, language users, and the world. Investigations may include inquiry into the nature of meaning, intentionality, reference, ...
and
cultural philosophy
Philosophy of culture is a branch of philosophy that examines the essence and meaning of culture.
Early modern discourses
German Romanticism
The German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) has formulated an individualist definition of "en ...
.
Scholarly career
Elmar Holenstein studied
philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
,
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...
, and
linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
at the universities of
Louvain/Leuven,
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...
, and
Zurich from 1964 to 1972. His Ph.D. dissertation dealt with the phenomenology of the pre- and non-conceptual human experience as explored by
Edmund Husserl
, thesis1_title = Beiträge zur Variationsrechnung (Contributions to the Calculus of Variations)
, thesis1_url = https://fedora.phaidra.univie.ac.at/fedora/get/o:58535/bdef:Book/view
, thesis1_year = 1883
, thesis2_title ...
(1859–1938), the German founder of the
phenomenological
Phenomenology may refer to:
Art
* Phenomenology (architecture), based on the experience of building materials and their sensory properties
Philosophy
* Phenomenology (philosophy), a branch of philosophy which studies subjective experiences and a ...
movement in philosophy. Holenstein gained professorial status (habilitation) by a book on the phenomenological structuralism of
Roman Jacobson.
Between 1971 and 1997 he continued his studies at the Husserl archive in Leuven, at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
with Roman Jakobson, and at the
University of Hawai'i. He was a member of the "linguistic universals project UNITYP" of the Swiss linguist Hansjakob Seiler
at the
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne (german: Universität zu Köln) is a university in Cologne, Germany. It was established in the year 1388 and is one of the most prestigious and research intensive universities in Germany. It was the sixth university to ...
and pursued further research with
Joseph Greenberg
Joseph Harold Greenberg (May 28, 1915 – May 7, 2001) was an American linguist, known mainly for his work concerning linguistic typology and the genetic classification of languages.
Life Early life and education
Joseph Greenberg was born on ...
at
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
, also at the Institute of the Studies of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa in Tokyo, and at the Collegium Budapest.
From 1977 to 1990 Holenstein taught philosophy at the
Ruhr University
The Ruhr University Bochum (, ) is a public research university located in the southern hills of the central Ruhr area, Bochum, Germany. It was founded in 1962 as the first new public university in Germany after World War II. Instruction began in ...
in Bochum, Germany, then at
ETH Zurich
(colloquially)
, former_name = eidgenössische polytechnische Schule
, image = ETHZ.JPG
, image_size =
, established =
, type = Public
, budget = CHF 1.896 billion (2021)
, rector = Günther Dissertori
, president = Joël Mesot
, ac ...
until his retirement in 2002 when he moved to
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...
, Japan. In the academic year 1986/87 he was guest professor at the
University of Tokyo and in 2004 Tang-Chun-I Professor at the
Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Main philosophical viewpoints
Decentering the ego
Holenstein's early philosophical analyses strive to clarify the processes involved in cognition, especially in associations, that occur "without the (conscious and volitional) participation of the I." In his programmatic essay "Der Nullpunkt der Orientierung" (The Zero-Point of Orientation), Holenstein demonstrates that the "I", while indeed the point of origin of his or her perceptions, is experienced in no way as the orientational center of his or her field of perception. The mightest object in this field functions as center of orientation. Its form (Gestalt) is thereby often more decisive than its meaning. The significance of "I-consciousness" in ethical action, however, as well as in communication, being structured by a sender and a recipient, is unquestioned.
Phenomenological structuralism
Holenstein views Prague Structuralism as understood by Roman Jakobson (1896–1982), as a Husserlian
structuralism
In sociology, anthropology, archaeology, history, philosophy, and linguistics, structuralism is a general theory of culture and methodology that implies that elements of human culture must be understood by way of their relationship to a broader ...
expanded by dimensions of
inter-subjectivity and of the
unconscious
Unconscious may refer to:
Physiology
* Unconsciousness, the lack of consciousness or responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli
Psychology
* Unconscious mind, the mind operating well outside the attention of the conscious mind a ...
that enlarge the understanding of the
subject
Subject ( la, subiectus "lying beneath") may refer to:
Philosophy
*''Hypokeimenon'', or ''subiectum'', in metaphysics, the "internal", non-objective being of a thing
**Subject (philosophy), a being that has subjective experiences, subjective cons ...
. According to Jakobson,
phenomenology
Phenomenology may refer to:
Art
* Phenomenology (architecture), based on the experience of building materials and their sensory properties
Philosophy
* Phenomenology (philosophy), a branch of philosophy which studies subjective experiences and a ...
and structuralism form – in contrast to a dominant fashionable understanding – an inseparable unity. They are as interconnected, just as the participant and the observer perspectives as well as formal and semantic (i.e. content) aspects prove to be in
language studies
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
. Inspired by the Swiss philosopher
Anton Marty
Martin Anton Maurus Marty (; 18 October 18471 October 1914) was a Swiss-born Austrian philosopher and Catholic priest. He specialized in philosophy of language, philosophy of psychology and ontology.
Biography
Marty was a student and follower ...
, Jakobson, and Greenberg, Holenstein deals in depth with putative
language universals
A linguistic universal is a pattern that occurs systematically across natural languages, potentially true for all of them. For example, ''All languages have nouns and verbs'', or ''If a language is spoken, it has consonants and vowels.'' Research i ...
, and their possible understanding.
Philosophical psychology
From the start Holenstein's actual research interest in his studies of language centered on the relationship between experience, language, and thinking, later increasingly on that between "nature" and "mind", the traditional "mind-body" problem, and in connection with it on the heuristic function of the comparison between natural and artificial intelligence. Based on gestalt-psychology and cognitive science, he claimed early that the categorical structuring of perceiving and thinking is much less language-dependent than it was claimed during the early twentieth century in the heyday of linguistic relativism. Neurology may prove that the freedom of will as the basis of human action is imaginary, but it is incapable to prove that consciousness is not a psychological reality. Not only the outdated mechanistic physics as
Descartes (1596–1650) conceived it but also today's physics is unable to explain consciousness. Therefore, we have to admit that we do not know the inmost fabric of nature, its ''intima fabrica'', as
Albrecht von Haller
Albrecht von Haller (also known as Albertus de Haller; 16 October 170812 December 1777) was a Swiss anatomist, physiologist, naturalist, encyclopedist, bibliographer and poet. A pupil of Herman Boerhaave, he is often referred to as "the fa ...
(1708–1777) put it, that serves as origin of consciousness. In Holenstein's view an enlarged naturalist understanding of consciousness seems to be valid in psychology as well as in ethics.
Comparative cultural philosophy
Based on the methodological perspectives that Holenstein had gained in the years of his linguistic scholarly endeavors, he undertook the comparative investigation of cultural phenomena. Given the fluidity of research, he developed his philosophy of
culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
not in a systematic treatise, but in modular fashion. Central to his inquiry are
cultural universal
A cultural universal (also called an anthropological universal or human universal) is an element, pattern, trait, or institution that is common to all known human cultures worldwide. Taken together, the whole body of cultural universals is known ...
s, the comparability of intra- and intercultural variations, and the indefensible view of the
Romantics who regarded cultures as closed structural units. He strove to explain intra- and intercultural as well as intrapersonal conflicts and the impossibility of a simultaneous optimal realization of all value assumptions. He stressed further the importance of neighborly trans-regional relationships for historical change and an in-born ability of code switching for intercultural understanding. For Holenstein, Asia is not only a millennia old treasury of
spirituality
The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
but also of
secularism
Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on Secularity, secular, Naturalism (philosophy), naturalistic considerations.
Secularism is most commonly defined as the Separation of church and state, separation of relig ...
, of moral tenets embraced independently of religious persuasions. In courses his most often used essay is titled: "A Dozen Rules of Thumb for Avoiding Intercultural Misunderstanding."
Philosophy atlas
New visual teaching aids motivated Holenstein to try "experimental cultural geography."
Geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...
shows what it shows in its spatial context. Therefore, maps are especially suited to visualize that
European philosophy is not understandable without its non-European context. Holenstein is committed to showing impressive philosophical developments in Asia beyond the so-called axial age. He also demonstrates that, like in Europe, the philosophical centers in China and India moved at different times to different regions. Holenstein finally also explores the ecological and economic basis of the diverse oral traditions of Africa and of the pre-invasion Americas.
Unique Swiss political traditions
The call to the
ETH Zurich
(colloquially)
, former_name = eidgenössische polytechnische Schule
, image = ETHZ.JPG
, image_size =
, established =
, type = Public
, budget = CHF 1.896 billion (2021)
, rector = Günther Dissertori
, president = Joël Mesot
, ac ...
led Holenstein to complement his cultural philosophical investigations by a series of studies that relate to typical traits of the
Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internation ...
political system. Topics include positive aspects such as the peaceful coexistence of several
language groups. This is supported by the international prestige of its two main minority languages and the actual privileging of all three of them, as well as by the fortunate fact that political, linguistic, denominational and economic frontiers do not coincide. He addressed issues, furthermore, concerning traditional social covenants such as agreements between employers’ and employees’ associations, mediation, mutual acceptance of diverse laws in the cantons, informal ideals like good faith and fairness, free movement, neutrality in case of a global conflict between civilizations, and the historical background of the invocation of God in the constitution's preamble.
Ethics
Like his language-oriented philosophical studies, also Holenstein's few texts that relate to ethics center on cognitive issues:
Conscience
Conscience is a cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's moral philosophy or value system. Conscience stands in contrast to elicited emotion or thought due to associations based on immediate sens ...
, moral feelings, and sense of
responsibility. They are intuitively experienced as binding. Although they are natural experiences the appeal to them does not (even not according to
Kant) imply a
naturalistic fallacy. Without them humans would have only a utilitaristic understanding of the categorical imperative.
Selected bibliography
Monographs
* , 1972.
* ''Roman Jakobson's Approach to Language: Phenomenological Structuralism, 1976''
* , 1985
* , 2002
* , 2004
Article collections
* , 1976.
* , 1980.
* , 1985.
* , 1998.
* , 2009.
Edited works
* ''Edmund Husserl, Logische Untersuchungen. 1. Band: Prolegomena zur reinen Logik: Husserliana 18, 1975.''
* ''Roman Jakobson, Hölderlin, Klee, Brecht: Zur Wortkunst dreier Gedichte, 1976.''
* ''(with Tarcisius Schelbert) Roman Jakobson, Poetik: Ausgewählte Aufsätze, 1979.''
* ''Roman Jakobson, Hans-Georg Gadamer & E. H., Das Erbe Hegels II, 1984.''
* ''Roman Jakobson, Semiotik: Ausgewählte Texte, 1988.''
* ''Takeo Doi, Amae – Freiheit in Geborgenheit: Zur Struktur japanischer Psyche, 1982.''
Diverse essays
(a) on philosophical psychology
* ''The Zero-Point of Orientation: The Place of the I in the Perceived Space,'' in: ''The Body: Classic and Contemporary Readings,'' ed. by Donn Welton, Oxford: Blackwell, 1999: 57–94.
* ''Natural and Artificial Intelligence: Phenomenology and Computer Science,'' in: ''Descriptions,'' ed. by Don Ihde & Hugh J. Silverman, Albany: State University of New York Press, 1985: 162–174.
* ''Representation and Intuition: Machine Knowledge and Human Consciousness,'' in: ''Merleau-Ponty Circle: Tenth Annual International Conference'', 26–28 Sept. 1985: Conference Proceedings, Carbondale IL: Southern Illinois University, 59–76.
* ''Koevolutionäre Erkenntnistheorie'', in: ''Transzendentale oder evolutionäre Erkenntnistheorie?'' Ed. by Wilhelm Lütterfelds, 1987: 307–333.
* ''Die Psychologie als eine Tochter von Philosophie und Physiologie'', in: ''Das Gehirn – Organ der Seele: Zur Ideengeschichte der Neurobiologie'', ed. by Ernst Florey & Olaf Breidbach, 1993: 285–308.
* ''Die kausale Rolle von Bewusstsein und Vernunft'', in: ''Bewusstsein'', hg. von Sybille Krämer, 1996: 184–212.
* ''Natural Ethics: Legitimate Naturalism in Ethics'', in: ''Phenomenology 2005,'' volume 1: ''Selected Essays from Asia'', ed. by Cheung Chan-Fai & Yu Chung-Chi, 2007: 133–149.
* ''Semiotics as a Cognitive Science,'' in: ''Cognitive Semiotics'' 3, 2008: 6–19.
* ''Categorial Pluralism: Naturalizing Phenomenology and Phenomenologizing Natural Science”,'' in: ''Metodo. International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy'' 2, n. 2, 2014: 251–270.
* ''Natural Ethics: Legitimate Naturalism in Ethics'', in: ''Phenomenology 2005,'' volume 1: ''Selected Essays from Asia'', ed. by Cheung Chan-Fai & Yu Chung-Chi, 2007: 133–149.
* ''Semiotics as a Cognitive Science,'' in: ''Cognitive Semiotics'' 3, 2008: 6–19.
* ''Categorial Pluralism: Naturalizing Phenomenology and Phenomenologizing Natural Science”,'' in: ''Metodo. International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy'' 2, n. 2, 2014: 251–270.
(b) on cultural philosophy
* ''A Dozen Rules of Thumb for Avoiding Intercultural Misunderstandings”,'' in: ''Polylog (online):'' http://them.polylog.org/4/ahe-en.htm
* ''Die Kulturgeschichte der Menschheit: Ihre Konzeption bei Hegel (bis 1831), bei Jaspers (1948) und heute (1999)'', in: ''Karl Jaspers: Philosophie und Politik'', ed. by Reiner Wiehl & Dominic Kaegi, 1999: 163–184.
* ''Philosophie außerhalb Europas'', in: ''Orthafte Ortlosigkeit der Philosophie: Festschrift für Ram Adhar Mall zum 70. Geburtstag'', 2007: 65–77.
* ''Zu der Relativität des sprachlichen Relativismus'', in: ''Wege zur Kultur: Gemeinsamkeiten – Differenzen – Interdisziplinäre Dimensionen'', ed. by Hamid Reza Yousefi et al., 2008: 343–360.
* ''Complex Cultural Traditions,'' in: ''Identity and Alterity: Phenomenology and Cultural Traditions,'' ed. by Kwok-Ying Lau et al., Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann, 2010: 47–63.
* ''One or Two? Two Kindred Poems by Qianlong and Goethe'', in: ''Roman Jakobson: linguistica e poetica,'' a cura di Stefania Sini et al., Milano: Ledizioni, 2018: 237–264.
Literature about Elmar Holenstein
* ''Noé, Shin’ya: Phenomenology and Cognitive Psychology, in: Japanese and Western Phenomenology, ed. by P. Blosser et al., The Hague: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1993: 335–344.''
* ''Norbert Mecklenburg: Interkulturelle Philosophie: Habermas und Holenstein, in: Das Mädchen aus der Fremde: Germanistik als interkulturelle Literaturwissenschaft. Iudicium, München 2008, , p. 135–152.''
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holenstein, Elmar
Academic staff of ETH Zurich
Linguistic universals
Swiss psychologists
20th-century Swiss philosophers
Structuralists
Phenomenologists
1937 births
Living people