Heinrich August Ritter (; 21 November 1791 – 3 February 1869) was a German
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
historian of 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 ...
.
He was born in
Zerbst, and studied philosophy and
theology at the
University of Göttingen and
Berlin until 1815. In 1824 he became an associate professor of philosophy at Berlin, later transferring to
Kiel, where he occupied the chair of philosophy from 1833 to 1837. He then accepted a similar position at the
University of Göttingen, where he remained till his death.
Friedrich Schleiermacher
Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher (; 21 November 1768 – 12 February 1834) was a German Reformed theologian, philosopher, and biblical scholar known for his attempt to reconcile the criticisms of the Enlightenment with traditional P ...
was a major influence in his thinking.
[ADB:Ritter, Heinrich]
In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie
''Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie'' (ADB, german: Universal German Biography) is one of the most important and comprehensive biographical reference works in the German language.
It was published by the Historical Commission of the Bavarian Aca ...
(ADB). Band 28, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1889, S. 673 f.
Works
Ritter's chief work was a history of philosophy (''Geschichte der Philosophie'') published in twelve volumes at
Hamburg from 1829 to 1853. This work was the product of a wide and thorough knowledge of the subject aided by an impartial critical faculty, and its value was underscored by its translation into almost all the languages of
Europe. He wrote also accounts of ancient schools of philosophy, such as the
Ionians, the
Pythagoreans and the
Megarians.
[
Beside these important historical works, he published a large number of treatises of which the following may be mentioned:
* ''Abriss der philosophischen Logik'' (1824).
* ''Geschichte der Philosophie'' (1829–1853; 2nd edition, vols. i–iv, 1836–1838) — its 1st section, "Geschichte der philosophie alter zeit", was translated into English by Alexander J.W. Morrison and published as]
''The history of ancient philosophy''
(1838–46).
* ''Ueber das Verhältnis der Philosophie zum Leben'' (1835).
* ''Historia philosophiae Graeco-Romanae'' (in collaboration with Ludwig Preller, 1838; 7th edition, 1888).
* ''Kleine philosophische Schriften'' (1839–1840).
* ''Versuch zur Verständigung über die neueste deutsche Philosophie seit Kant'' (1853).
* ''System der Logik und Metaphysik'' (1856).
* ''Die christliche Philosophie bis auf die neuesten Zeiten'' (2 volumes, 1858–1859).
* ''Encyklopädie der philosophischen Wissenschaften'' (1862–1864).
* ''Ernest Renan, über die Naturwissenschaften und die Geschichte'' (1865).
* ''Ueber das Böse und seine Folgen'' (1869).
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritter, Heinrich
1791 births
1869 deaths
People from Zerbst
German philosophers
University of Göttingen alumni
Academic staff of the University of Göttingen
Humboldt University of Berlin alumni
Academic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin
Academic staff of the University of Kiel
German male writers