Hans Jonas
Hans Jonas
Philosopher, Theologian, and Social Critic
Full Name and Common Aliases
Hans Jonas was born as Hans Jona on May 10, 1903, in Mönchengladbach, Germany. Throughout his life, he used the name Hans Jonas.
Birth and Death Dates
May 10, 1903 – February 5, 1993
Nationality and Profession(s)
German-American philosopher, theologian, and social critic.
Early Life and Background
Hans Jonas grew up in a Jewish family in Germany during World War I. His father was a textile merchant, and the family moved to Berlin when Hans was young. He studied philosophy at the University of Freiburg and later at the University of Berlin, where he earned his Ph.D. under the supervision of Martin Heidegger. Jonas's early life and education laid the foundation for his future philosophical pursuits.
Major Accomplishments
Hans Jonas is renowned for his groundbreaking work in the fields of philosophy, theology, and social criticism. Some of his notable accomplishments include:
Developing a new understanding of the concept of technology, which he saw as a threat to human existence.
Introducing the idea of "responsibility" as a fundamental aspect of human existence.
Contributing to the development of existential philosophy and its application to various fields.Notable Works or Actions
Some of Hans Jonas's most notable works include:
The Gnostic Religion: The Message of the Alien God and the Beginnings of Christianity (1958) - a comprehensive study on Gnosticism.
Philosophical Essays: From Ancient Creed to Technological Man (1974) - a collection of essays exploring the relationship between philosophy, technology, and human existence.Impact and Legacy
Hans Jonas's ideas have had a profound impact on various fields, including:
Philosophy: His work has influenced existential philosophers, such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger.
Theology: His understanding of the concept of technology has shaped theological discussions about human existence and responsibility.
Social criticism: His critiques of modern society have inspired social movements and debates.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Hans Jonas's quotes and writings are widely quoted due to his thought-provoking insights into human existence, technology, and responsibility. His work continues to inspire readers to reflect on the consequences of human actions and the importance of taking responsibility for our impact on the world.
As a philosopher, theologian, and social critic, Hans Jonas has left an indelible mark on various fields of study. His ideas continue to resonate with readers seeking a deeper understanding of the complexities of human existence.
Quotes by Hans Jonas
Life has been thrown into the world, light into darkness, the soul into the body. It expresses the original violence done to me in making me be where I am and what I am, the passivity of my choice-less emergence into an existing world which I did not make and whose law is not mine.
To me, it was a sad fate to have been born into a period and a world where everything was in tip-top order, and the only real excitement was to be found in history books and occasionally also in the paper.
The will to set values and the power to make them law are jointly at the bottom of all operative norms. When linked to divine wisdom, this source of moral law is still in safe hands which man can trust.
Our duties and responsibilities as human beings must be shown to be so incontrovertible that even atheists must recognize them. There are ultimate taboos.
It was once religion which told us that we are all sinners because of original sin. It is now the ecology of our planet which pronounces us all to be sinners because of the excessive exploits of human inventiveness.
It is a changing world because of the newcomers who keep arriving and who leave us behind. Trying to keep pace with them is doomed to inglorious failure, especially as the pace has quickened so much.
If man was the relative of animals, then animals were the relatives of man, and in degrees bearers of that inwardness of which man, the most advanced of their kin, is conscious in himself.
For a scientific theory of him to be possible, man, including his habits of valuation, has to be taken as determined by causal laws, as an instance and part of nature.
As to each of us, the knowledge that we are here but briefly and a nonnegotiable limit is set to our expected time may even be necessary as the incentive to number our days and make them count.