Johann Georg Hamann Quotes
Johann Georg Hamann was a German philosopher of language and religion, often called the Magus of the North. A Konigsberg contemporary and lifelong interlocutor of Kant, he combined a cryptic, allusive prose with a vehement Lutheran-Pietist critique of Enlightenment rationalism. The quotes below are attributed to Johann Georg Hamann, organized by topic.
Browse Johann Georg Hamann by topic
Johann Georg Hamann on Death
-
“If only I was as eloquent as Demosthenes , I would have to do no more than repeat a single word three times. Reason is language — Logos ; I gnaw on this marrowbone and will gnaw myself to death over it. It is still always dark over these depths for me: I am still always awaiting an apocalyptic angel with a key to this abyss.”
Briefwechsel, ed. Arthur Henkel (Wiesbaden/Frankfurt: Insel Verlag, 1955-1975), vol. V, p. 177.
Johann Georg Hamann on God
-
Attributed to Johann Georg Hamann:
“Christianity is folly to the wise but wisdom to the simple.”
-
“Every phenomenon of nature was a word, — the sign, symbol and pledge of a new, mysterious, inexpressible but all the more intimate union, participation and community of divine energies and ideas. Everything the human being heard from the beginning, saw with its eyes, looked upon and touched with its hands was a living word; for God was the word.”
Sämtliche Werken, ed. Josef Nadler (1949-1957), vol. III, p. 32.
Johann Georg Hamann on Knowledge
-
“Few authors understand themselves, and a proper reader must not only understand his author but also be able to see beyond him.”
Briefwechsel, ed. Arthur Henkel (1955-1975), vol. VI, p. 22. -
“Being, belief and reason are pure relations, which cannot be dealt with absolutely, and are not things but pure scholastic concepts, signs for understanding, not for worshipping, aids to awaken our attention, not to fetter it.”
Briefwechsel, ed. Arthur Henkel (1955-1975), vol. VII, p. 165.
Johann Georg Hamann on Love
-
“Poetry is the mother tongue of the human race.”
Sämtliche Werken, ed. Josef Nadler (Vienna: Verlag Herder, 1949-1957), vol. II, p. 197. -
“Self knowledge begins with the neighbor, the mirror, and just the same with true self-love; that goes from the mirror to the matter.”
Briefwechsel, ed. Arthur Henkel (1955-1975), vol. VI, p. 281.
Johann Georg Hamann on Mind
-
Attributed to Johann Georg Hamann:
“Reason is impossible without faith in language.”
-
“Without language we would have no reason , without reason no religion, and without these three essential aspects of our nature, neither mind nor bond of society.”
Sämtliche Werken, ed. Josef Nadler (1949-1957), vol. III, p. 231. -
“Not only the entire ability to think rests on language... but language is also the crux of the misunderstanding of reason with itself.”
Sämtliche Werken, ed. Josef Nadler (1949-1957), vol. III, p. 286.
Johann Georg Hamann on Nature
-
“The philosophers have always given truth a bill of divorce, by separating what nature has joined together and vice versa.”
Sämtliche Werken, ed. Josef Nadler (1949-1957), vol. III, p. 40.
Johann Georg Hamann on Truth
-
Attributed to Johann Georg Hamann:
“Language is the mother of reason and revelation, their A and Omega.”
-
Attributed to Johann Georg Hamann:
“All philosophy that ignores the senses is empty word-magic.”
Johann Georg Hamann on Virtue
-
“A thirsty ambition for truth and virtue, and a frenzy to conquer all lies and vices which are not recognized as such nor desire to be; herein consists the heroic spirit of the philosopher.”
Socratic Memorabilia , J. Flaherty, trans. (Baltimore: 1967), p. 147. -
“Through a vicious circle of pure reason skepsis itself becomes dogma.”
Briefwechsel, ed. Arthur Henkel (1955-1975), vol. V, p. 432.