Herbert Spiegelberg
Encyclopedia
Herbert Spiegelberg was an American
philosopher who played a prominent role in the advancement of the phenomenogical movement in the United States.
, in the Alsatian
region of northeastern France
. He studied at the universities of Heidelberg, Freiburg
, and Munich, where he encountered Edmund Husserl
and many others in the vanguard of the European phenomenological movement. He received his Ph.D.
in 1928 from the University of Munich.
His doctoral dissertation was written under the direction of the phenomenologist Alexander Pfänder
and was titled Gesetz und Sittengesetz (Law and Morality).
In 1937 Spiegelberg left the continent and studied for a year in England before immigrating to the United States. In the U. S., he taught first at Swarthmore College
and then at Lawrence University
, which later awarded him an honorary doctoral degree.
In 1953-54 and 1955-56 he received grants from the Rockefeller Foundation
for the preparation of the first edition of his landmark historical survey, The Phenomenological Movement: A Historical Introduction.
In 1963, he relocated to Washington University in St. Louis
, Missouri
and remained there until his retirement as Emeritus Professor in 1971. He also served as visiting professor at the universities of Michigan
and Southern California
and as Fulbright
Lecturer at the University of Munich.
Spiegelberg conducted five influential workshops in phenomenology, during the summers of 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1972. The first workshop was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation
and the second by a grant from the Monsanto Company.
In 1981 Washington University established a series of lectures in phenomenology in his honor.
Herbert Spiegelberg died of leukemia
, at the age of 86, at his home in St. Louis Missouri. His collected papers are available in the archives of the Washington University Libraries.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
philosopher who played a prominent role in the advancement of the phenomenogical movement in the United States.
Life
Spiegelberg was born in StrasbourgStrasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, in the Alsatian
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
region of northeastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He studied at the universities of Heidelberg, Freiburg
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
, and Munich, where he encountered Edmund Husserl
Edmund Husserl
Edmund Gustav Albrecht Husserl was a philosopher and mathematician and the founder of the 20th century philosophical school of phenomenology. He broke with the positivist orientation of the science and philosophy of his day, yet he elaborated critiques of historicism and of psychologism in logic...
and many others in the vanguard of the European phenomenological movement. He received his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1928 from the University of Munich.
His doctoral dissertation was written under the direction of the phenomenologist Alexander Pfänder
Alexander Pfänder
Alexander Pfänder was a German philosopher and phenomenologist. He was born in Iserlohn and spent his entire academic career in Munich, where he was a student of Theodor Lipps and one of the founding members of the Munich circle of phenomenologists...
and was titled Gesetz und Sittengesetz (Law and Morality).
In 1937 Spiegelberg left the continent and studied for a year in England before immigrating to the United States. In the U. S., he taught first at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
and then at Lawrence University
Lawrence University
Lawrence University is a selective, private liberal arts college with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Lawrence University is known for its rigorous academic environment. Founded in 1847, the first classes were held on November 12, 1849...
, which later awarded him an honorary doctoral degree.
In 1953-54 and 1955-56 he received grants from the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
for the preparation of the first edition of his landmark historical survey, The Phenomenological Movement: A Historical Introduction.
In 1963, he relocated to Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and remained there until his retirement as Emeritus Professor in 1971. He also served as visiting professor at the universities of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and as Fulbright
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
Lecturer at the University of Munich.
Spiegelberg conducted five influential workshops in phenomenology, during the summers of 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1972. The first workshop was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
and the second by a grant from the Monsanto Company.
In 1981 Washington University established a series of lectures in phenomenology in his honor.
Herbert Spiegelberg died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, at the age of 86, at his home in St. Louis Missouri. His collected papers are available in the archives of the Washington University Libraries.
Philosophy
Spiegelberg played a major role in the development of interest in phenomenology in America.Books
(2 vols)- (2 vols)
- 768 pages. ISBN 9024725356
411 pages. ISBN 0810103575
290 pages. ISBN 9024717256
239 pages.
337 pages. ISBN 9024729637
Secondary sources
279 pages. ISBN 9024717019
- 768 pages. ISBN 9024725356