Jan van der Hoeven
Encyclopedia
Jan van der Hoeven was a Dutch zoologist. His most famous book is "Handboek der Dierkunde" (1827–1833), translated into German and English (by prof. Clark). He wrote as readily about crocodiles as about butterflies, lancelet
s and lemur
s.
Jan van der Hoeven came from a wealthy family of merchants in Rotterdam. In 1819 he moved to Leiden. In 1822 he got a degree in physics
and in 1824 in medicine
. After a visit to Paris he started working as a family doctor
in Rotterdam, but in 1826 he was appointed Professor of Zoology and Mineralogy
at the University of Leiden. He married in that year to Anna van Stolk. In his youth Van der Hoeven was influenced by and paid tribute to the German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder
and he was friendly with Willem Bilderdijk
, a prominent Dutch lawyer, author and historian, known for his Revivalism. Two of his brothers were also professor: Abraham was a Remonstrant theologian, Cornelis a physician.
By the 19th century it had become impossible to understand and comprehend all knowledge, but Van der Hoeven was a rather old fashioned scientist, (representing the Biedermeier
era) and a generalist: neither specializing, nor becoming a theoreticist. In 1834 he started a magazine in Natural History and Physiology. Van der Hoeven was also involved in education, writing a biology book for pupils in secondary school, although, paradoxically, he was one of the last professors in Leiden to teach in Latin
. In 1860 he asked permission to leave the university. In 1864 he published the Latin biology textbook Philosophia zoologica.
In 1858, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
.
Lancelet
The lancelets , also known as amphioxus, are the modern representatives of the subphylum Cephalochordata, formerly thought to be the sister group of the craniates. They are usually found buried in sand in shallow parts of temperate or tropical seas. In Asia, they are harvested commercially as food...
s and lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s.
Jan van der Hoeven came from a wealthy family of merchants in Rotterdam. In 1819 he moved to Leiden. In 1822 he got a degree in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and in 1824 in medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. After a visit to Paris he started working as a family doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
in Rotterdam, but in 1826 he was appointed Professor of Zoology and Mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
at the University of Leiden. He married in that year to Anna van Stolk. In his youth Van der Hoeven was influenced by and paid tribute to the German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder
Johann Gottfried Herder
Johann Gottfried von Herder was a German philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic. He is associated with the periods of Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar Classicism.-Biography:...
and he was friendly with Willem Bilderdijk
Willem Bilderdijk
Willem Bilderdijk , Dutch poet, the son of an Amsterdam physician. When he was six years old an accident to his foot incapacitated him for ten years, and he developed habits of continuous and concentrated study...
, a prominent Dutch lawyer, author and historian, known for his Revivalism. Two of his brothers were also professor: Abraham was a Remonstrant theologian, Cornelis a physician.
By the 19th century it had become impossible to understand and comprehend all knowledge, but Van der Hoeven was a rather old fashioned scientist, (representing the Biedermeier
Biedermeier
In Central Europe, the Biedermeier era refers to the middle-class sensibilities of the historical period between 1815, the year of the Congress of Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, and 1848, the year of the European revolutions...
era) and a generalist: neither specializing, nor becoming a theoreticist. In 1834 he started a magazine in Natural History and Physiology. Van der Hoeven was also involved in education, writing a biology book for pupils in secondary school, although, paradoxically, he was one of the last professors in Leiden to teach in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. In 1860 he asked permission to leave the university. In 1864 he published the Latin biology textbook Philosophia zoologica.
In 1858, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
.
External links
- Google books on Van der Hoeven
- http://www.zalf.de/home_zalf/institute/dei/php/biograph/biograph.php