Adam Karl August von Eschenmayer
Encyclopedia
Adam Karl August von Eschenmayer (4 July 1768, Neuenbürg
- 17 November 1852, Kirchheim unter Teck
) was a German philosopher and physician
.
in Württemberg
in 1768. After receiving his early education at the Caroline academy of Stuttgart
, he entered the University of Tübingen, where he was given the degree of doctor of medicine. He practised for some time as a physician at Sulz
, and then at Kirchheim
, and in 1811 he was chosen extraordinary professor of philosophy
and medicine
at Tübingen. In 1818 he became ordinary professor of practical philosophy
, but in 1836 he resigned and took up his residence at Kirchheim, where he devoted his whole attention to philosophical studies.
, but he differed from him in regard to the knowledge of the absolute
. He believed that in order to complete the arc of truth, philosophy must be supplemented by what he called non-philosophy, a kind of mystical illumination by which was obtained a belief in God
that could not be reached by mere intellectual effort. He carried this tendency to mysticism
into his physical researches, and was led by it to take a deep interest in the phenomena of animal magnetism
. He ultimately became a devout believer in demoniacal and spiritual possession; and his later writings are all strongly impregnated with supernaturalism.
Attribution
Neuenbürg
Neuenbürg is a town in the Enz district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Enz, 10 km southwest of Pforzheim.The town has three stops, Neuenbürg, Neuenbürg Süd and Neuenbürg Freibad, on route S6 of the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn, which operates over the Enztalbahn railway....
- 17 November 1852, Kirchheim unter Teck
Kirchheim unter Teck
Kirchheim unter Teck is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in the district of Esslingen. It is located on the small river Lauter, a tributary of the Neckar. It is situated near the Teck castle, approximatively 25 km southeast of Stuttgart...
) was a German philosopher and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
.
Life
He was born at NeuenbürgNeuenbürg
Neuenbürg is a town in the Enz district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Enz, 10 km southwest of Pforzheim.The town has three stops, Neuenbürg, Neuenbürg Süd and Neuenbürg Freibad, on route S6 of the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn, which operates over the Enztalbahn railway....
in Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
in 1768. After receiving his early education at the Caroline academy of Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, he entered the University of Tübingen, where he was given the degree of doctor of medicine. He practised for some time as a physician at Sulz
Sulz
Sulz is the name of a number of places in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Ukraine:*Soulce in the canton of Jura, Switzerland was formerly known as Sulz*Sulz place in the Steiermark, Austria*Sulz in the Steiermark, Austria...
, and then at Kirchheim
Kirchheim
Kirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
, and in 1811 he was chosen extraordinary professor of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at Tübingen. In 1818 he became ordinary professor of practical philosophy
Practical philosophy
The division of philosophy into a practical and a theoretical discipline has its origin in Aristotle's moral philosophy and natural philosophy categories. In Sweden and Finland courses in theoretical and practical philosophy are taught separately, and are separate degrees...
, but in 1836 he resigned and took up his residence at Kirchheim, where he devoted his whole attention to philosophical studies.
Views
Eschenmayer's views are largely identical with those of SchellingSchelling
Notable people with the last name of Schelling include:* Ernest Schelling, American composer* Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, German philosopher* Thomas Schelling, American economist and Nobel laureate...
, but he differed from him in regard to the knowledge of the absolute
Absolute (philosophy)
The Absolute is the concept of an unconditional reality which transcends limited, conditional, everyday existence. It is sometimes used as an alternate term for "God" or "the Divine", especially, but by no means exclusively, by those who feel that the term "God" lends itself too easily to...
. He believed that in order to complete the arc of truth, philosophy must be supplemented by what he called non-philosophy, a kind of mystical illumination by which was obtained a belief in God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
that could not be reached by mere intellectual effort. He carried this tendency to mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
into his physical researches, and was led by it to take a deep interest in the phenomena of animal magnetism
Animal magnetism
Animal magnetism , in modern usage, refers to a person's sexual attractiveness or raw charisma. As postulated by Franz Mesmer in the 18th century, the term referred to a supposed magnetic fluid or ethereal medium believed to reside in the bodies of animate beings...
. He ultimately became a devout believer in demoniacal and spiritual possession; and his later writings are all strongly impregnated with supernaturalism.
Works
His principal works are:- Die Philosophie in ihrem Übergange zur Nichtphilosophie (1803);
- Versuch die scheinbare Magie des thierischen Magnetismus aus physiol. und psychischen Gesetzen in erklären (1816);
- System der Moralphilosophie (1818);
- Psychologie in drei Theilen, als empirische, reine, angewandte (1817, 2nd ed. 1822);
- Religionsphilosophie (3 yols., 1818-1824);
- Die Hegelsche Religionsphilosophie verglichen mit dem christl. Princip (1834);
- Der Ischariotismus unserer Täge (1835) (directed against David StraussDavid StraussDavid Friedrich Strauss was a German theologian and writer. He scandalized Christian Europe with his portrayal of the "historical Jesus," whose divine nature he denied...
's Life of Jesus); - Konflikt zwischen Himmel und Hölle, an dem Damon eines besessenen Mädchens beobachtet (1837);
- Grundriss der Naturphilosophie (1832);
- Grundzüge der christl. Philosophie (1840); and
- Betrachtungen über den physischen Weltbau (1852).
Other
- Carl JungCarl JungCarl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
mentions reading Eschenmayer as a young man in his autobiography, Memories, Dreams, ReflectionsMemories, Dreams, ReflectionsMemories, Dreams, Reflections is a partially autobiographical book by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung and associate Aniela Jaffé...
(1963) p.99 ISBN 0-679-72395-1.
Attribution