Jonael Schickler
Encyclopedia
Jonael Angelus Schickler (1976-2002) was a Swiss
philosopher who died in a rail crash at the age of 25.
, Switzerland
. His family later moved to Forest Row
, East Sussex
, and he attended Michael Hall, the Rudolf Steiner school located there. At the age of sixteen he attended Sevenoaks School
.
In 1994, he traveled to India and Nepal and on his return, matriculated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he read Social and Political Science. Soon, however, Schickler decided to change to Philosophy. He graduated with a First and, after a year as a cellist
with a Berlin orchestra, Schickler returned to Cambridge (Queens' College, Cambridge
) to read for a Doctorate in the Faculty of Divinity, under the supervision of George Pattison
. Schickler began supervising undergraduates early in his doctoral career and he was appointed Director of Studies in Philosophy at Hughes Hall, Cambridge
in 2001. On 10 May 2002, Schickler was killed in the Potters Bar rail crash
.
Metaphysics
as Christology
is part of a larger project in which Schickler was engaged when he died to demonstrate an organic continuity and development between Aristotelian
ontology
, the 'Kant
ian turn' and Hegelian dialectic, reaching its fulfillment in the work of Rudolf Steiner
. Two other parts of the project exist in complete, albeit unpublished form, From Dialectic to Phenomenology and Aristotle: Man and Metaphysics, and may be published in the future. Other planned parts of the project for which only notes exist are: Phenomenology and Depth Psychology (which was to discuss Nietzsche, Heidegger, Wittgenstein and Jung
), Structural Phenomenology (an idea taken from Herbert Witzenmann
), and The Recovery of Nature (which included an assessment of the prospects for a rebirth of alchemy).
In Metaphysics as Christology, Schickler examines the key philosophical problems with which Kant and Hegel grappled, and finds in the work of Rudolf Steiner
the essence of a solution to them; he claims that Steiner returned to Hegel's philosophical problems but was better able to solve them. Schickler uses these philosophical debates about knowledge and truth to understand the significance of Christ. As theologian Martin Wendte describes, Schickler's "general ontology, according to his philosophical thesis, implies a theological telos
, resurrection
. In effect, Schickler presents an onto-theo-logy, or, as his title has it: Metaphysics as Christology."
Building on the work of Hegel, Schickler argues that Christ
has made possible the developments in human consciousness
that restore humanity
's relationship to the surrounding world. Fraser Watts contributed the Foreword and George Pattison an extensive Preface.
Watts commented at the time of Schickler's death,
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
philosopher who died in a rail crash at the age of 25.
Life
Schickler was born in DornachDornach
Dornach is a municipality in the district of Dorneck in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.-History:Dornach is first mentioned in 1223 as de Tornacho. In 1307 it was mentioned as zu Dornach...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. His family later moved to Forest Row
Forest Row
Forest Row is a village and relatively large civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles south-east of East Grinstead.-History:...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, and he attended Michael Hall, the Rudolf Steiner school located there. At the age of sixteen he attended Sevenoaks School
Sevenoaks School
Sevenoaks School is an English coeducational independent school located in the town of Sevenoaks, Kent. It is the oldest lay school in the United Kingdom, dating back to 1432. Almost 1,000 day pupils and boarders attend, ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. There are approximately equal numbers of...
.
In 1994, he traveled to India and Nepal and on his return, matriculated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he read Social and Political Science. Soon, however, Schickler decided to change to Philosophy. He graduated with a First and, after a year as a cellist
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
with a Berlin orchestra, Schickler returned to Cambridge (Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
) to read for a Doctorate in the Faculty of Divinity, under the supervision of George Pattison
George Pattison
George Pattison is a leading British systematic theologian and Anglican priest.Pattison is currently the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford and a canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford....
. Schickler began supervising undergraduates early in his doctoral career and he was appointed Director of Studies in Philosophy at Hughes Hall, Cambridge
Hughes Hall, Cambridge
Hughes Hall, is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. It is often informally called Hughes, and is the oldest of the four Cambridge colleges which admit only mature students...
in 2001. On 10 May 2002, Schickler was killed in the Potters Bar rail crash
Potters Bar rail crash
There have been at least three railway accidents in Potters Bar, a town in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, just north of Greater London. One occurred in 1898, one in 1946 and the last in 2002.-1898:...
.
Philosophical work
At the time of his death, Schickler left behind the completed manuscript of his doctorate as well as the article Death and Life in Modern Thinking, and a large quantity of unpublished material. In November 2004, his thesis was published in German under the title Metaphysik als Christologie, edited by Peter von Ruckteschell and published by Koenigshausen and Neumann. The thesis appeared in English in December 2005, edited by Nick Green and Fraser Watts and published by Ashgate Publishing, under the title Metaphysics as Christology: An Odyssey of the Self from Kant and Hegel to Steiner.Metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
as Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
is part of a larger project in which Schickler was engaged when he died to demonstrate an organic continuity and development between Aristotelian
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
ontology
Ontology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
, the '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...
ian turn' and Hegelian dialectic, reaching its fulfillment in the work of Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
. Two other parts of the project exist in complete, albeit unpublished form, From Dialectic to Phenomenology and Aristotle: Man and Metaphysics, and may be published in the future. Other planned parts of the project for which only notes exist are: Phenomenology and Depth Psychology (which was to discuss Nietzsche, Heidegger, Wittgenstein and Jung
Jung
Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist, an influential thinker and the founder of analytical psychology.Jung may also refer to:* Jung * JUNG, Java Universal Network/Graph Framework-See also:...
), Structural Phenomenology (an idea taken from Herbert Witzenmann
Herbert Witzenmann
Herbert Witzenmann was a German philosopher and anthroposophist.-Career:...
), and The Recovery of Nature (which included an assessment of the prospects for a rebirth of alchemy).
In Metaphysics as Christology, Schickler examines the key philosophical problems with which Kant and Hegel grappled, and finds in the work of Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
the essence of a solution to them; he claims that Steiner returned to Hegel's philosophical problems but was better able to solve them. Schickler uses these philosophical debates about knowledge and truth to understand the significance of Christ. As theologian Martin Wendte describes, Schickler's "general ontology, according to his philosophical thesis, implies a theological telos
Telos (philosophy)
A telos is an end or purpose, in a fairly constrained sense used by philosophers such as Aristotle. It is the root of the term "teleology," roughly the study of purposiveness, or the study of objects with a view to their aims, purposes, or intentions. Teleology figures centrally in Aristotle's...
, resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
. In effect, Schickler presents an onto-theo-logy, or, as his title has it: Metaphysics as Christology."
Building on the work of Hegel, Schickler argues that Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
has made possible the developments in human consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
that restore humanity
Human Race
Human Race refers to the Human species.Human race may also refer to:*The Human Race, 79th episode of YuYu Hakusho* Human Race Theatre Company of Dayton Ohio* Human Race Machine, a computer graphics device...
's relationship to the surrounding world. Fraser Watts contributed the Foreword and George Pattison an extensive Preface.
Watts commented at the time of Schickler's death,