Ingemar Hedenius
Encyclopedia
Per Arvid Ingemar Hedenius (April 5, 1908–April 30, 1982) was a Swedish philosopher. He was Professor of Practical Philosophy at the University of Uppsala (1947-1973). He was a famous opponent of organised Christianity
. The Swedish Humanist Association
, known in Sweden as "Humanisterna", offers the Ingemar Hedenius Award each year to support humanist ideas and critical thinking.
and for a while rector
of Uppsala University
. His father Israel Hedenius (1868-1932) was in 1900 a doctor of medicine and teacher of medical practice, and in 1927 was appointed personal physician to the King of Sweden. Hedenius' mother, born Anna Bergh, was from an upper class Norwegian family.
The two married in 1905 and had three children: Per (1905), Ingemar and Ann Marie (1909). Both parents were very religious.
Ingemar took the entrance examination for the Norra Latin school in 1927. After he completed upper secondary school
he studied at Uppsala University
where he wrote his doctoral thesis Sensationalism and theology in Berkeley's philosophy, discussing the philosophy of George Berkeley
.
Svante Nordin, professor of history of science and ideas at Lund University
, published a book in 2004 called Ingemar Hedenius: en filosof och hans tid (Ingemar Hedenius: a philosopher and his time). This gives a picture of Ingemar Hedenius based on a rich collection of letters and other documents. According to the text at the back of the book, Hedenius was "a person with strong musical, artistic and literary interests. He liked to play the flute, including performing in public. [...] harsh both in writing and in speech with enemies and opponents, gentle and sensitive with his friends."
. The debate was about the truthfulness of the teachings of Christianity and also about the position of the church in society. He rejected organised Christianity, especially the established role of the Church of Sweden
. In Belief and Knowledge he described three postulates which theology
does not comply with, to show that it is not possible to have a rational debate about religion. According to Hedenius this means that theology can not be classed as knowledge, but belongs outside it as "quasi-knowledge":
Hedenius was of the opinion that Christianity violates these rules and is therefore irrational. Amongst other things, he proposed that the study of religions and their development should be separated from theology and become a non-religious academic discipline.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. The Swedish Humanist Association
Swedish Humanist Association
The Swedish Humanist Association is the largest humanist/rationalist organisation in Sweden with over 4,000 members. It's a member organisation of the International Humanist and Ethical Union ....
, known in Sweden as "Humanisterna", offers the Ingemar Hedenius Award each year to support humanist ideas and critical thinking.
Background
Hedenius' grandfather Per Hedenius (1828-1896) was a famous professor of pathologyPathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
and for a while rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
. His father Israel Hedenius (1868-1932) was in 1900 a doctor of medicine and teacher of medical practice, and in 1927 was appointed personal physician to the King of Sweden. Hedenius' mother, born Anna Bergh, was from an upper class Norwegian family.
The two married in 1905 and had three children: Per (1905), Ingemar and Ann Marie (1909). Both parents were very religious.
Ingemar took the entrance examination for the Norra Latin school in 1927. After he completed upper secondary school
Education in Sweden
Education in Sweden is mandatory for all children from year 1 to year 9 - generally from the year of the child’s seventh birthday to the year of the child’s 16th...
he studied at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
where he wrote his doctoral thesis Sensationalism and theology in Berkeley's philosophy, discussing the philosophy of George Berkeley
George Berkeley
George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley , was an Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immaterialism"...
.
Svante Nordin, professor of history of science and ideas at Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
, published a book in 2004 called Ingemar Hedenius: en filosof och hans tid (Ingemar Hedenius: a philosopher and his time). This gives a picture of Ingemar Hedenius based on a rich collection of letters and other documents. According to the text at the back of the book, Hedenius was "a person with strong musical, artistic and literary interests. He liked to play the flute, including performing in public. [...] harsh both in writing and in speech with enemies and opponents, gentle and sensitive with his friends."
Belief and knowledge
Hedenius became best known for his book Tro och vetande (Belief and Knowledge), published in 1949. This book started off one of the most wide-ranging cultural debates ever in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The debate was about the truthfulness of the teachings of Christianity and also about the position of the church in society. He rejected organised Christianity, especially the established role of the Church of Sweden
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
. In Belief and Knowledge he described three postulates which theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
does not comply with, to show that it is not possible to have a rational debate about religion. According to Hedenius this means that theology can not be classed as knowledge, but belongs outside it as "quasi-knowledge":
- The religion-psychology postulate: A religious belief contains metaphysical assumptions which science can neither verify nor falsify, for example, assertions of the existence of God, or the immortality of the soul.
- The language theory postulate: It must be possible to communicate the religious comprehension and experience even to non-believers.
- The logic postulate: Two truths cannot contradict each other. Of two contradictory statements, at most one can be true. Theology not only contains theses which contradict what we know about reality (first postulate) without accepting also inner contradictions, for example, the oldest and according to Hedenius also insoluble problem of evilProblem of evilIn the philosophy of religion, the problem of evil is the question of how to explain evil if there exists a deity that is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient . Some philosophers have claimed that the existences of such a god and of evil are logically incompatible or unlikely...
.
Hedenius was of the opinion that Christianity violates these rules and is therefore irrational. Amongst other things, he proposed that the study of religions and their development should be separated from theology and become a non-religious academic discipline.
Works
- Om rätt och moral (1941)
- Om praktisk filosofi (1948)
- Tro och vetande (1949)
- Att välja livsåskådning (1951)
- Tro och livsåskådning (1958)
- Helvetesläran (1972)
- Samtal med Ingemar Hedenius (in part with Sven Ragne Carlson) (1975)