AND HIS GENERAL THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE,
EMPIRIOCRITICISM.
By Dr. Friedrich Carstanjen, Zürich University.
(Translated by H. Bosanquet.)[1]
When Richard Avenarius, Professor of Philosophy at the University, died at Zürich on 18th August, 1896, only a very small circle of philosophers and pupils knew what a powerful mind had been snatched from amongst them; for he was a man whose unique thought was unappreciated by his contemporaries solely because it was unique, and diverged too much from what was previously familiar.
Concerning the life of this philosopher I will merely state briefly that he was born at Paris, 19th November, 1843, that he first devoted himself (by his father’s wish) to the book trade, but afterwards studied—for the most part philosophy—at Zürich, Berlin, and Leipzig; in 1876 he attached himself to the University of Leipzig, and in 1877 was called as Professor of Philosophy to Zürich. In 1877 he instituted, with the help of C. Goering, M. Heinze, and W. Wundt, the Vierteljahrsschrift für wissenschaftliche Philosophie and continued it until his death, latterly with the help of M. Heinze and Al. Riehl.[2] In addition to several smaller contributions
- ↑ For certain awkward expressions Mrs. Bosanquet is not responsible. Without them it is impossible to give correct rendering of the peculiarities of the terminology of Avenarius.
- ↑ The Vierteljahrsschrift für wissenschaftliche Philosophie is now edited by Fr. Carstanjen and O. Krebs, with the help of E. Mach and Al. Riehl.
