Dagobert D. Runes
Encyclopedia
Dagobert David Runes was a philosopher
and author. Born in Zastavna
, Bukovina
, Austro-Hungary (now in Ukraine
), he emigrated to the United States in 1926. He had received a doctorate
in philosophy
from the University of Vienna
in 1924. In the U.S. he became editor of The Modern Thinker and later Current Digest. From 1931 to 1934 he was Director of the Institute for Advanced Education in New York City
. In 1941 he founded the Philosophical Library
, a spiritual organization and publisher. Runes was a colleague and friend of Albert Einstein
.
Runes published an English translation of Marx's On the Jewish Question
under the title A World without Jews, and he edited several works presenting the ideas and history of philosophy to a general audience.
Dagobert moved to the United States with his wife Mary. They remarried in NYC in 1929 and remained married until Mary's death. They had two children Regeen and Richard together.
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 author. Born in Zastavna
Zastavna
Zastavna is a city in Chernivtsi Oblast of Ukraine. The city is the administrative center of Zastavna Raion. Population is 8,866 ....
, Bukovina
Bukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
, Austro-Hungary (now in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), he emigrated to the United States in 1926. He had received a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 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...
from 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 1924. In the U.S. he became editor of The Modern Thinker and later Current Digest. From 1931 to 1934 he was Director of the Institute for Advanced Education in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1941 he founded the Philosophical Library
Philosophical Library
Philosophical Library is a United States publisher specializing in psychology, philosophy, religion, and history. It was founded in 1941 by Dagobert D. Runes to publish the works of European intellectuals after the 1930s diaspora in the face of racial and religious discrimination...
, a spiritual organization and publisher. Runes was a colleague and friend of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
.
Runes published an English translation of Marx's On the Jewish Question
On the Jewish Question
On the Jewish Question is a work by Karl Marx, written in 1843, and first published in Paris in 1844 under the German title Zur Judenfrage in the Deutsch–Französische Jahrbücher. It was one of Marx's first attempts to deal with categories that would later be called the materialist conception of...
under the title A World without Jews, and he edited several works presenting the ideas and history of philosophy to a general audience.
Dagobert moved to the United States with his wife Mary. They remarried in NYC in 1929 and remained married until Mary's death. They had two children Regeen and Richard together.
Selected works
- Dictionary of Philosophy (editor) Philosophical Library, 1942.
- Jordan Lieder: Frühe Gedichte (in German) The Philosophical Library, 1948.
- Letters to My Son The Philosophical Library, 1949.
- Letters to My Daughter The Philosophical Library, 1954.
- Spinoza Dictionary The Philosophical Library, 1951.
- On the Nature of Man The Philosophical Library, 1956.
- Treasury of Philosophy (editor) The Philosophical Library, 1955.
- Pictorial History of Philosophy (editor) The Philosophical Library, 1959.
- Dictionary of Thought (editor) Philosophical Library, 1959.
- A World without Jews (translator) The Philosophical Library, 1959.
- The Art of Thinking The Philosophical Library, 1961.
- A Treasury of World Science (editor) The Philosophical Library, 1962.
- "Despotism: A Pictorial History of Tyranny" (author) The Philosophical Library, 1963 Library of Congress Card catalog #62-22269
- The Disinterested and the Law The Philosophical Library, 1964.
Sources
- Ulrich E Bach. “Dagobert D. Runes: Ein streitbarer Verleger in New York.” In Deutschsprachige Exilliteratur seit 1933 3/I USA Supplement. Ed. John M. Spalek, Konrad Feilchenfeldt and Sandra H. Hawrylchak. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2010: 278-295.
- Dagobert Runes, obituary, New York Times, September 27, 1982, p. D-9.
- Pictorial History of Philosophy by Dagobert D. Runes, 1959.
External links
- Works edited by Runes, in the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
- Dictionary of Philosophy
- Correspondence with Einstein