Ioan Zalomit
Encyclopedia
Ioan Zalomit was a Romania
n philosopher, professor and rector
of the University of Bucharest
.
, in a family of merchants. His parents were probably of Greek
origin, but they were born in Wallachia
.
He began his education in private schools, probably French
, and achieved his formation in France, at the University of Paris
and later in Germany
, at the University of Berlin. He obtained the title of doctor of philosophy
at this later university, in 1848, with a dissertation on Kant
's philosophy.
Zalomit began teaching philosophy at the Saint Sava Academy. When the University of Bucharest was established, in 1864, he was appointed Professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Letters. He held the office of rector of the university between May 1871 - April 1885. In 1882 he became a member of the Permanent Council of Public Instruction, and in 1885 he was elected vice-president of this institution.
of Victor Cousin
, whose disciple Charma was. This work proposed the following disciplinary division of the philosophy: psychology, logic, morals, theodicy and history of philosophy. By means of the translation of Charma's handbook, Zalomit introduces for the first time in Romania the history of philosophy as a philosophical discipline.
His dissertation from 1848 is the first exegesis of Kant
's philosophy written by a Romanian. Although the Kantianism
was at that time known to Romanians from different courses and textbooks (of Daniil Philippidis, Gheorghe Lazăr
, Eufrosin Poteca
, Eftimie Murgu
, August Treboniu Laurian
, Simeon Bărnuţiu, and of course that of Zalomit himself), there were still no monographs on this subject. Zalomit places Kant in the historical context of the modern philosophy, presenting the main figures of the empiricist and rationalist traditions. He considers that Kant is a spiritual successor of Descartes, and that he accomplished the program set forth, but unrealised, by Descartes.
Ioan Zalomit offers in his dissertation a criticism of Kant, on several topics. For example, he criticises the epistemological preeminence that Kant assigns to the visual sense, arguing that touching has to be at least as important as seeing for the knowledge of the exterior world, since the category of substance is practically inseparable from this sense. He argues next that Kant did not critically analysed the three ideas of the pure reason, which, in his opinion, are nothing but distinct applications of the idea of infinite, or of Absolute, and can therefore be reduced to this idea. Next, he makes the point that, speaking of things-in-themselves, Kant crosses the limits of his own philosophy.
Zalomit considers that the greatest difficulty of Kant's philosophy is the distinction between nature and liberty. He thinks that this separation can not be maintained, and he argues that an identification of nature and liberty is not to be feared. The moral laws can not be harmed by this, because liberty is natural, it is inherent to the notion of nature. Thus, the moral precepts could be regarded as duties of the nature. By this naturalisation of the liberty Zalomit wanted to save the "true harmony of the natural things", the "true organism of the Universe", in order to save both human liberty and the validity of the concept of Divine Providence
. This Christian
and organicist conception testifies of the influence that the Eastern Orthodoxy had on his world-view, but also of his knowledge of Schelling
's philosophy of nature.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n philosopher, professor and 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 the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
.
Biography
Ioan Zalomit was born in BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, in a family of merchants. His parents were probably of Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
origin, but they were born in Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
.
He began his education in private schools, probably French
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...
, and achieved his formation in France, at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
and later 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...
, at the University of Berlin. He obtained the title of doctor of philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at this later university, in 1848, with a dissertation on Kant
KANT
KANT is a computer algebra system for mathematicians interested in algebraic number theory, performing sophisticated computations in algebraic number fields, in global function fields, and in local fields. KASH is the associated command line interface...
's philosophy.
Zalomit began teaching philosophy at the Saint Sava Academy. When the University of Bucharest was established, in 1864, he was appointed Professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Letters. He held the office of rector of the university between May 1871 - April 1885. In 1882 he became a member of the Permanent Council of Public Instruction, and in 1885 he was elected vice-president of this institution.
Philosophical Contributions
Like other translators, Zalomit contributed to the creation of a modern Romanian philosophical terminology and to the diffusion of philosophical ideas in the Romanian society. The textbook of Antoine Charma (1801–1869) that he translated introduced in Romania the eclecticismEclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...
of Victor Cousin
Victor Cousin
Victor Cousin was a French philosopher. He was a proponent of Scottish Common Sense Realism and had an important influence on French educational policy.-Early life:...
, whose disciple Charma was. This work proposed the following disciplinary division of the philosophy: psychology, logic, morals, theodicy and history of philosophy. By means of the translation of Charma's handbook, Zalomit introduces for the first time in Romania the history of philosophy as a philosophical discipline.
His dissertation from 1848 is the first exegesis of Kant
KANT
KANT is a computer algebra system for mathematicians interested in algebraic number theory, performing sophisticated computations in algebraic number fields, in global function fields, and in local fields. KASH is the associated command line interface...
's philosophy written by a Romanian. Although the Kantianism
Kantianism
Kantianism is the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher born in Königsberg, Prussia . The term Kantianism or Kantian is sometimes also used to describe contemporary positions in philosophy of mind, epistemology, and ethics.-Ethics:Kantian ethics are deontological, revolving entirely...
was at that time known to Romanians from different courses and textbooks (of Daniil Philippidis, Gheorghe Lazăr
Gheorghe Lazar
Gheorghe Lazăr , born and died in Avrig, Sibiu County, was a Transylvanian-born Romanian scholar, the founder of the first Romanian language school - in Bucharest, 1818.-Biography:...
, Eufrosin Poteca
Eufrosin Poteca
Eufrosin Poteca was a Romanian philosopher, theologian, and translator, professor at the Saint Sava Academy of Bucharest. Later in life he campaigned against slavery...
, Eftimie Murgu
Eftimie Murgu
Eftimie Murgu was a Romanian politician who took part in the 1848 Revolutions.He was born in Rudăria to Samu Murgu, an officer in the Imperial Army and Cumbria Murgu...
, August Treboniu Laurian
August Treboniu Laurian
August Treboniu Laurian was a Transylvanian Romanian politician, historian and linguist. He was born in the village of Fofeldea in Nocrich. He was a participant at the 1848 revolution, an organizer of the Romanian school and one of the founding members of the Romanian Academy.Laurian was a member...
, Simeon Bărnuţiu, and of course that of Zalomit himself), there were still no monographs on this subject. Zalomit places Kant in the historical context of the modern philosophy, presenting the main figures of the empiricist and rationalist traditions. He considers that Kant is a spiritual successor of Descartes, and that he accomplished the program set forth, but unrealised, by Descartes.
Ioan Zalomit offers in his dissertation a criticism of Kant, on several topics. For example, he criticises the epistemological preeminence that Kant assigns to the visual sense, arguing that touching has to be at least as important as seeing for the knowledge of the exterior world, since the category of substance is practically inseparable from this sense. He argues next that Kant did not critically analysed the three ideas of the pure reason, which, in his opinion, are nothing but distinct applications of the idea of infinite, or of Absolute, and can therefore be reduced to this idea. Next, he makes the point that, speaking of things-in-themselves, Kant crosses the limits of his own philosophy.
Zalomit considers that the greatest difficulty of Kant's philosophy is the distinction between nature and liberty. He thinks that this separation can not be maintained, and he argues that an identification of nature and liberty is not to be feared. The moral laws can not be harmed by this, because liberty is natural, it is inherent to the notion of nature. Thus, the moral precepts could be regarded as duties of the nature. By this naturalisation of the liberty Zalomit wanted to save the "true harmony of the natural things", the "true organism of the Universe", in order to save both human liberty and the validity of the concept of Divine Providence
Divine Providence
In Christian theology, divine providence, or simply providence, is God's activity in the world. " Providence" is also used as a title of God exercising His providence, and then the word are usually capitalized...
. This Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and organicist conception testifies of the influence that the Eastern Orthodoxy had on his world-view, but also of his knowledge of Schelling
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling , later von Schelling, was a German philosopher. Standard histories of philosophy make him the midpoint in the development of German idealism, situating him between Fichte, his mentor prior to 1800, and Hegel, his former university roommate and erstwhile friend...
's philosophy of nature.
Original Works
- De Kantianae philosophiae principiis ac dignitate. Dissertatio inauguralis philosophica, Berolini, [1848]
- Principes et mérite de la philosophie de Kant, inaugural dissertationInaugural dissertationAn inaugural dissertation is a presentation of major work by a new professor or doctor, in writing and/or in public speech, to inaugurate their professorship or doctorship. This academic ritual is traditional in much of Europe , although it is becoming less common in some countries and institutions...
, Berlin, Gustav Schade, 1848 (the French version of the previous title)
- The State of the Public Instruction in Upper Romania at the End of the Academic Year 1861-1862. Discourse Pronounced with the Occasion of the Prize-Awarding Ceremony on June 29, 1862, Bucharest, Typographia Statului Sf. Sawa şi Niphon, 1862
Translations
- Elements of Philosophy, Bucharest, Tipografia lui Eliade, 1854, translation of A. Charma's Réponses aux questions de philosophie contenues dans le programme adopté pour l'examen du baccalauréat ès Lettres, Paris, Librarie Classique et Elémentaire de L. Hachette, 1835,