Friedrich Paulsen secured a permanent position as extraordinary professor of philosophy and pedagogy at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin in 1878. A central figure within the Neo-Kantian movement, he spent his career bridging the gap between epistemological realism and the evolving scientific understanding of the psychophysical, eventually succeeding Eduard Zeller as professor of moral philosophy in 1896.
Academic Formation and Early Career
Born in 1846 in Langenhorn, Paulsen pursued a rigorous academic path through several German institutions. He attended the Christianeum before continuing his studies at the University of Bonn, the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, and finally the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Under the mentorship of Friedrich Adolf Trendelenburg, he completed his doctoral thesis in 1871. By 1875, he had habilitated at the University of Berlin, establishing the foundation for his lifelong tenure at the institution.
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Paulsen gained significant recognition for his 1892 publication Einleitung in die Philosophie, which brought visibility to the panpsychism of Gustav Theodor Fechner. He expanded upon these ideas by attempting an epistemological account of psychophysical knowledge. While acknowledging the Kantian view that inner sense reveals only mental states, Paulsen argued that this consciousness provides insight into the thing-in-itself. He identified the soul as a practical reality known through an instinctual will to live, or Zielstrebigkeit, which he differentiated from rational desire.
Pedagogy and Institutional History
Beyond his theoretical work, Paulsen produced extensive research on the history of education. His notable texts include the 1885 publication Geschichte des gelehrten Unterrichts auf den deutschen Schulen und Universitäten and a study on the organization of medieval German universities. His work on German Education, Past and Present underscored his reputation as a scholar of institutional pedagogy. He remained an active academic until his death in 1908 in Steglitz, with his final resting place at the Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof in Berlin.
Fast facts
- Born: 1846, Langenhorn
- Died: 1908, Steglitz
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Prussia
- Movement: Neo-Kantianism
- Primary Employer: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Notable Work: Einleitung in die Philosophie (1892)
- Fields of study: Philosophy, Pedagogy, Ethics
- Burial site: Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof Berlin
Questions readers ask
What was Friedrich Paulsen's role at the University of Berlin?
He served as an extraordinary professor of philosophy and pedagogy starting in 1878 and later became the professor of moral philosophy in 1896.
What did Paulsen mean by the will to live?
He described it as an instinctual, often subconscious drive pursuing ends without formal reasoning, distinct from rational desire.
Achievements
- Held posts at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Fields: philosophy, pedagogy and ethics
