Johann Georg Hamann Quotes on Mind
Johann Georg Hamann was a German philosopher of language and religion, often called the Magus of the North. This page collects quotes attributed to Johann Georg Hamann on the topic of mind, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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Attributed to Johann Georg Hamann:
“Reason is impossible without faith in language.”
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“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. -
“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.