Doctor,alchemist,astrologer,mystic and philospher born as Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim. Paracelsus´ medical teachings were the beginning of the modern scientific view of clinical diagnostic and treatment. He wrote a number of books in the typical manner of his time: a mixture of all his fields and theology. His most famous quotation is: "Alle Dinge sind Gift und nichts ist ohne Gift; allein die Dosis macht´s,daß ein Ding kein Gift sei." My best try to translate this: All things are poisonous and nothing is without poison; alone the dosage makes,that a thing is not poisonous.
I forgot: the above stamp was issued on Nov.10th,1993,honouring Paracelsus´ 500th birth-anniversary. For the same occasion Switzerland issued a stamp on March 16th,1993: Paracelsus is also known under the (false) name: "Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim". A name that would fit fine for an emperor !
I'll need to look him up, read some. I was going through W.T. Jones' most excellent History of Western Philosophy (in five volumes) looking for philosophers I'd forgotten to see if they ever merited a stamp. Of course, Voltaire, man-of-letters. Perhaps the French Goethe, although he was born some years before the German giant (and I'll probably catch the dickens again from Herr Salentin). Simply amazing how much some of these fellows wrote and achieved in a lifetime. Leibniz, highlighted here earlier, falls into that category.
I learned a new phrase: "catch the dickens". Voltaire was "the intelectual star" of his time in Europe. Theater-poet,historian,philosopher and even politician. It was the combination of all his talents,what made him the most influential spirit in the Age of Enlightment. Not a genius like Leibnitz,or a deep thinker as Kant,but a man who lived in and knew the world well.He was an important forerunner of the French Revolution. He had esprit and was elegant. Disliked by the Duke of Orleans and Louis XV,he admired and was admired by others,mostly german rulers. George I (of Hannover and Britain) and the british system of a constitutional monarchy was praised by him,as the possibly best form of government. He also was full of praise for another german ruler,the Tsarina Catherine the Great of Russia. Archduke Joseph,later Emperor Joseph II of Austria was one of his admirer. The most interesting relationship however was the one with Frederic II of Prussia.Voltaire was nearly twenty years senior to Crownprince Frederic.As soon as Frederic became king,a first meeting took place in 1840.Ten years later Voltaire moved to Potsdam and stayed there till 1853.The relationship was intense but also bumpy.The king often made clear,that he was the king and had the final say.Voltaire fled from Potsdam,when his involvement in some murky financial dealings became known. He was incarcerated for a time in Frankfurt,but was not put on trial and was allowed to go back to France. A few years later Frederic and Voltaire resumed their friendship, by writing frequent letters.This exchange of letters went on till Voltaire´s death.However they never again met each other. In his last letter,shortly before his death,Voltaire wrote to Frederic to bid him farewell.He wrote:"I am going to die soonly, but I hope and believe,that you will live for many years and will not only be known in future days as Frederic the Great,but also as Frederic the Immortal".
Here is Roger Bacon (along with Galileo), a philosopher and scientist of the Middle Ages. Much like the later Bacon, Francis, he hoped to consolidate all knowledge in a single work - the Opus Majus. Some of his findings were quite astute, especially in Optics. But many were almost entirely a priori conjectures. Of course, like just about all philosophers prior to the 20th Century, religion was carefully tied in - especially insofar as his major sponsor was the Pope. But, like <Werner> I do not think philosophy and science should be mixed, but stay on parallel tracks, never converging. (I am still seeking a Zeno of Elea stamp...)
Molokai had already shown the stamp commemorating the 350th birthday of Leibniz. Here some more stamps commemorating the last true philosopher as Plato would have described him.He is said to be the last universal genius,having a profound knowledge of all sciences of his times, natural- and arts-subjects. issued Aug.24th,1966,May 8th,1980 Nov.1st,1926
I am astounded and in awe by how much he - and some of the others - accomplished in a lifetime! Leibniz one of my ATF philosophers.
Three more stamps commemorating "the giant of Königsberg", Immanuel Kant. issued April 17th,1974/Nov.1st,1926/Oct.7th,1961 Königsberg was the capital of Ostpreußen (eastern Prussia). Kant hardly ever had left Königsberg in his lifetime.But he could explain "the world" like nobody else ever. After 1945 Ostpreußen was annexed by Russia and Poland.The northern part with Königsberg,renamed Kaliningrad,fell to Russia. All Germans were driven out and the territory was completely off limits for Germans well into the 1990th.Everything german was obliterated.Except for the university of Kaliningrad,what is still named after Immanuel Kant.
In college I purchased a copy of Critique of Pure Reason with English on one page and the original German obverse (Kritik der Reinen Vernunft). A very difficult book, in either language but clearly enough a work of genius!
issued Sept.12th,1977 The stamp commemorates the 1100 death-anniversary of John Scotus Eriugena.(Eriugena = born in Ireland) However it is not known exactly where and when he was born and where and when he died.Best estimate is:born in the early 9th century and dead in the late 9th century. He was teaching at the court of Charles the Bald around 870. He was a neo-platonic philosopher and theologican. He fell out with the church,but remained under the protection of Charles unharmed.
issued June 22nd,1984 Born into a rich family of nobility in Vienna,von Ehrenfels (1859-1932) became a universty professor for philosophy. His philosophy was based on a (for me self-evident) formula,what was taught by Aristoteles:"a Whole is more than the sum of its parts".I know,that this is a simplification ! At his time he must have been an eminent teacher at the german Karl-Ferdinands-University in Prague (1896-1929).Two of his pupils were Max Brod and Franz Kafka.
issued Aug.14th,2000 Not necessary to write a lot about Friedrich Nietzsche.Perhaps his most quoted phrase: "Wenn du zum Weibe gehst,vergiß die Peitsche nicht !"
If you think,calling your great president had been bashed,when putting him close to be a philosopher king,you are quite wrong. Unless you believe that philosophers,as such,are libs or else kind of godless monsters. By the way: what is the meaning of 24-7-365 ?
I am NOT wasting any more time on this..You 'dissed' President Trump AND i as an American and retired US Army..take great affront on this matter..24-7-365--look it up..
issued Dec.5th,1958; from a set of 10; Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher was a prussian protestant theologian and philosopher.However he worked in other fields as well,philology,sociology, constitutional law,etc.He also translated PLaton´s works into German. In Halle he was professor for theology and philosophy.In later years,in Berlin, professor for theology.Influenced by Kant, (of course !) he nevertheless tried to convert Kant´s thinkings to a less (cold) logical but more human and religious way. He is not one of the most eminent german philosophers,but in his time he was very influential.
