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RUDOLF EUCKEN
A PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
By ABEL J. JONES, M.A., B.Sc., Ph.D.
FORMERLY MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF JENA, SCHOLAR OF CLARE COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND ASSISTANT LECTURER AT THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, CARDIFF
London: T. C. & E. C. Jack
67 Long Acre, W.C., and Edinburgh
New York: Dodge Publishing Co.
PREFACE
The name of Eucken has become a familiar one in philosophical andreligious circles. Until recent years the reading of his books wasconfined to those possessing a knowledge of German, but of late severalhave been translated into the English language, and now the students ofphilosophy and religion are agog with accounts of a new philosopher whois at once a great ethical teacher and an optimistic prophet. There isno doubt that Eucken has a great message, and those who cannot find timeto make a thorough study of his works should not fail to know somethingof the man and his teachings. The aim of this volume is to give a briefand clear account of his philosophical ideas, and to inspire the readerto study for himself Eucken's great works.
Professor Rudolf Eucken was born in 1846, at Aurich in Frisia. Heattended school in his native town, and then proceeded to study at theUniversities of Göttingen and Berlin. In 1874 he was invited to theProfessorship of Philosophy at the University of Jena, and here he haslaboured for thirty-eight years; during this period he has been listenedto and admired by many of the more advanced students of philosophy ofall countries and continents.
His earliest writings were historical in character, and consisted mainlyof learned essays upon the classical and German philosophers.
Following upon these appeared valuable studies in the history ofphilosophy, which brought out, too, to some extent, Eucken's ownphilosophical ideas.
His latest works have been more definitely constructive. In Life'sBasis and Life's Ideal, and The Truth of Religion, he givesrespectively a full account of his philosophical system, and of hisideas concerning religion.
Several smaller works contain his ideas in briefer and more popularform.
As a lecturer he is charming and inspiring. He is not always easy tounderstand; his sentences are often long, florid, and complex.Sometimes, indeed, he is quite beyond the comprehension of hisstudents—but when they do not understand, they admire, and feel theyare in the presence of greatness. His writings contain many of thefaults of his lectures. They are often laboured and obscure, diffuse andverbose.
But these faults are minor in character, compared with the greatness ofhis work. There is no doubt that his is one of the noblest attempts evermade to solve the great question of life. Never was a philosophy moreimbued with the spirit of battle against the evil and sordid, and withthe desire to find in life the highest and greatest that can be found init.
I have to thank Professor Eucken for the inspiration of his lectures andbooks, various writers, translators, and friends for suggestions, andespecially my wife, whose help in various ways has been invaluable.
Passages are quoted from several of the works mentioned in theBibliograph