Christian Thomasius 1655 – 1728
Christian Thomasius (1655 – 1728) was a German philosopher of the Modern era, associated with Enlightenment and Rationalism.
Christian Thomasius was a German jurist, philosopher, and reformer and one of the founders of the German Enlightenment. The first university lecturer in Germany to teach philosophy in German rather than Latin, he opened the way for a vernacular German learned culture and helped found the new University of Halle, which became the leading center of early German enlightenment thought. He combined a natural-law theory drawn from Pufendorf with a vigorous campaign against the use of torture in criminal procedure and against the prosecution of accused witches, both of which contributed to the abolition of those practices in many German states.
Key facts
- Nationality
- German
- Era
- Modern
- Movements
- Enlightenment, Rationalism
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Christian Thomasius:
“Reason is the universal currency of the human mind.”
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Attributed to Christian Thomasius:
“Tolerance is the natural disposition of those who think clearly.”
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Attributed to Christian Thomasius:
“Witch trials disgrace the very justice they claim to serve.”
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Attributed to Christian Thomasius:
“Scholarship in the vernacular reaches more lives than learning hidden in Latin.”
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Attributed to Christian Thomasius:
“Law without natural reason is mere force.”
Frequently asked about Christian Thomasius
- When did Christian Thomasius live?
- Christian Thomasius was born in 1655 and died in 1728.
- Where was Christian Thomasius from?
- Christian Thomasius was a German philosopher of the Modern era.
- What philosophical movements is Christian Thomasius associated with?
- Christian Thomasius was associated with Enlightenment and Rationalism.
- What was Christian Thomasius known for?
- Christian Thomasius was a German jurist, philosopher, and reformer and one of the founders of the German Enlightenment.
- How many quotes are attributed to Christian Thomasius?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Christian Thomasius in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.