Proklos: Grundzuge seiner Metaphysik stands as a primary text in the extensive scholarly output of Werner Beierwaltes, a German philosopher who directed his research toward the intersections of Neoplatonism and German idealism. Active throughout the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, his career shaped the academic study of historical philosophy within several major European institutions.
Academic Appointments and Institutional Tenure
Educated at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Beierwaltes established a distinguished career as a university teacher. His academic tenure included positions at the University of Freiburg, the University of Münster, and the University of Würzburg. He eventually held the title of Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at his alma mater, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. His work was disseminated through contributions to academic editorial boards, including the International Journal of Philosophical Studies, Quaestio, and Anuario Filosófico.
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Beierwaltes concentrated his research on the legacy of Neoplatonism and the development of German idealism. His writing explored the historical trajectory of these schools of thought, producing significant volumes such as Denken des Einen: Studien zur neuplatonischen Philosophie und ihrer Wirkungsgeschichte, Eriugena: Grundzuge seines Denkens, Platonismus im Christentum, and Platonismus und Idealismus. In 1980, he was invited to Villanova University to deliver the Saint Augustine Lecture, where he addressed Augustine's concept of happiness.
Professional Recognition and Membership
His contributions to classical philology and philosophy earned him numerous honors and academic memberships. He was inducted into the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities in 1986, and he served as a member of the Royal Irish Academy, the North Rhine-Westphalia Academy for Sciences and Arts, and the Academy of Science for Public Utility, as well as the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. His formal recognitions included the Kuno Fischer Award in 1991, the Reuchlin Award in 1993, the Bavarian Order of Merit, and the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, awarded in 1998.
Fast facts
- Born: 1931, Klingenberg am Main
- Died: 2019, Würzburg
- Fields of work: Philosophy, Neoplatonism, classical philology
- Education: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Kuno Fischer Award: 1991
- Reuchlin Award: 1993
- Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit: 1998
Questions readers ask
What were the primary philosophical interests of Werner Beierwaltes?
He specialized in Neoplatonism, German idealism, and classical philology.
Which universities employed Werner Beierwaltes?
He held positions at the University of Freiburg, the University of Münster, the University of Würzburg, and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
Achievements
- Bavarian Order of Merit
- Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany — 1998
- Held posts at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, University of Würzburg and University of Freiburg
- Fields: philosophy, Neoplatonism and classical philology
