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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Ludwig Feuerbach Biography FEUERBACH, Ludwig Andreas (1804–72). A German philosopher, fourth son of Paul Johann Anselm Feuerbach. He was born at Landshut. After studying theology for two years at Heidelberg under Paulus and Daub, in 1824 he was attracted to Berlin for the purpose of hearing Hegel, and soon afterward he abandoned theology to devote himself entirely to philosophy. In 1828 he became privatdocent in the University of Erlangen, but in a few years quitted the academical life on account of the offense he had given by the publication of an anonymous book attacking the belief in immortality (Gedanken über Tod und Unsterblichkeit, 1830). He now gave up his whole time to literary labor, residing at Ansbach and then at Bruckberg near Bayreuth till 1860, when he settled near Nuremberg. During the next few years he published three works on portions of the history of philosophy, treating the period from Bacon to Spinoza, and the theories of Leibnitz and of Bayle. But these historical works only paved the way to a critical investigation into the nature of religion and its relation to philosophy. The most celebrated result of this is his work on the nature of Christianity (Das Wesen des Christentums, 1841), which was translated into English by George Eliot under the title The Essence of Christianity. This was followed in 1845 by Das Wesen der Religion. Starting from the Hegelian doctrine that the absolute comes to consciousness in humanity, Feuerbach denies to God any existence except as an idealized object of human consciousness. The conception of God is thus merely the projection by man of his own ideal into the objective world. All authority above man is regarded as a delusion proceeding from man himself, and the highest good is explained as that which is, on the whole, most pleasurable. Yet even this highest good is further explained as consisting in resemblance to that ideal humanity which man creates for himself and worships as God. In a later work he says that man is only what he eats (Der Mench ist was er isst). In the last years of his life he devoted himself to ethical studies, which he pursued in a hedonistic spirit. (See Hedonism.) Although the impulse towards pleasure is for him the basis of all morality, the pleasure of others must be considered as of equal importance with one's own pleasure. (See Utilitarianism.) Feuerbach was a man of high ideals in spite of his philosophical materialism. He made numerous friends both at home and abroad, and his writings were very popular. The works of Feuerbach were collected and published in 10 vols. (Leipzig, 1846–66). A later edition has been published, Sämmtliche Werke (10 vols., Stuttgart, 1905–06). For his life, consult: Grün (Leipzig, 1874) ; Beyer (ib., 1873); Starcke (Stuttgart, 1885) ; Jodl, Ludwig Feuerbach (ib., 1904), For his philosophical system, consult Engels, Ludwig Feuerboch und der Ausgang der klassischdeutschen Philosophie (ib., 1888), and Bolin, Ludwig Feuerbach und seine Zeitgenossen (ib., 1891). The New International Encyclopaedia Vol. VIII. (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 505. |