Arnold Gehlen
Encyclopedia
Arnold Gehlen was an influential conservative German
philosopher and sociologist
.
and especially Max Scheler
.
He joined the Nazi Party in 1933 and had a shining career as a member of the 'Leipzig School
' under Hans Freyer
. He replaced Paul Tillich
, who emigrated to the U.S.
, at the University of Frankfurt. In 1938 he accepted a teaching position at the University of Königsberg
(today's Kaliningrad
) and then taught at the University of Vienna
in 1940 until he was drafted into the Wehrmacht
in 1943. After his 'denazification
' he taught at the administrative college in Speyer
. He went on to teach at the Aachen University of Technology
between 1962 and 1969. Gehlen became a sharp critic of the protest
movements that developed in the late 1960s.
Gehlen's philosophy has been influential for many contemporary neoconservative
German thinkers. Many terms from his work, like Reizüberflutung ("Sensory overload
"), deinstitutionalization
or post-history
, have gained popular currency in Germany.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
philosopher and sociologist
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
.
Biography
His major influences while studying philosophy were Hans Driesch, Nicolai HartmannNicolai Hartmann
-Biography:Hartmann was born of German descent in Riga, which was then the capital of the Russian province of Livonia, and which is now in Latvia. He studied Medicine at the University of Tartu , then Philosophy in St. Petersburg and at the University of Marburg in Germany, where he took his Ph.D....
and especially Max Scheler
Max Scheler
Max Scheler was a German philosopher known for his work in phenomenology, ethics, and philosophical anthropology...
.
He joined the Nazi Party in 1933 and had a shining career as a member of the 'Leipzig School
Leipzig school (sociology)
The Leipzig school was a branch of sociology developed by a group of academics led by philosopher and sociologist Hans Freyer at the University of Leipzig, Germany in the 1930s....
' under Hans Freyer
Hans Freyer
Hans Freyer, born July 31, 1887 in Leipzig, died January 18, 1969 in Ebersteinburg near Baden-Baden, was a conservative German sociologist and philosopher.-Life:...
. He replaced Paul Tillich
Paul Tillich
Paul Johannes Tillich was a German-American theologian and Christian existentialist philosopher. Tillich was one of the most influential Protestant theologians of the 20th century...
, who emigrated to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, at the University of Frankfurt. In 1938 he accepted a teaching position at the University of Königsberg
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
(today's Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
) and then taught at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
in 1940 until he was drafted into the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in 1943. After his 'denazification
Denazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
' he taught at the administrative college in Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
. He went on to teach at the Aachen University of Technology
RWTH Aachen
RWTH Aachen University is a research university located in Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany with roughly 33,000 students enrolled in 101 study programs....
between 1962 and 1969. Gehlen became a sharp critic of the protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
movements that developed in the late 1960s.
Gehlen's philosophy has been influential for many contemporary neoconservative
Neoconservatism (disambiguation)
Neoconservatism in the United States is an ideological political movement.The term "Neoconservativism" may also refer to:*usage influenced by the US movement:** in the Czech Republic, see Neoconservatism in the Czech Republic...
German thinkers. Many terms from his work, like Reizüberflutung ("Sensory overload
Sensory overload
Sensory overload , related to Cognitive load in general, is a condition where one or more of the senses are strained and it becomes difficult to focus on the task at hand...
"), deinstitutionalization
Institution
An institution is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation governing the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human community...
or post-history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, have gained popular currency in Germany.
Selected writings
- Der Mensch. Seine Natur und seine Stellung in der Welt. (1940) (Translated as "Man, his nature and place in the world")
- Urmensch und Spätkultur. Philosophische Ergebnisse und Aussagen. (1956)
- Die Seele im technischen Zeitalter. (1957) (Translated as "Man in the age of technology")
- Moral und Hypermoral. Eine pluralistische Ethik. (1969)
See also
- Philosophical anthropologyPhilosophical anthropologyPhilosophical anthropology is a discipline dealing with questions of metaphysics and phenomenology of the human person, and interpersonal relationships. It is the attempt to unify disparate ways of understanding behaviour of humans as both creatures of their social environments and creators of...
- Nazi Philosophers