Hans Jonas (1903–1993)
Author of The Gnostic Religion
About the Author
Hans Jonas was a well-known Jewish thinker, an early and influential biomedical ethicist, and an equally early and influential philosopher of technology in the United States and his native Germany. Born in 1904 in Monchengladbach, Jonas studied under Martin Heidegger at the University of Freiburg show more before Hitler came to power and Heidegger became chancellor of the university. He received his doctorate in 1928 from the University of Marburg. In 1933 he fled Germany and, in 1964, publicly repudiated Heidegger because of his Nazi connections. Jonas taught in Jerusalem and Canada before becoming a professor at the New School for Social Research in New York in 1955, where he was chair of the philosophy department (1957--63) and Johnson Professor of Philosophy (from 1966 until his retirement in 1976). Jonas is best known for his neo-Kantian ethics of responsible caution in the face of the awesome power of modern technology---especially the power of modern biotechnology, including genetic engineering. According to Jonas, we must consult our fears and not our hopes when understanding technological ventures that can have a potentially devastating impact on what it means to be human (and therefore ethical). More than half of Jonas's books were written in German, including an early version of his greatest work, The Imperative of Responsibility (1984). (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Works by Hans Jonas
The Imperative of Responsibility: In Search of an Ethics for the Technological Age (1984) 297 copies
La gnosis y el espíritu de la antigüedad tardía de la mitología a la filosofía mística (1993) 17 copies
Die mythologische Gnosis : Mit Einer Einfuhrung Zur Geschichte Und Methodologie Der Forschung (1966) 6 copies
Augustin und das Paulinische Freiheitsproblem : ein philosophischer Beitrag zur Genesis der christlich-abendländischen… (2007) 4 copies
Organism, Medicine, and Metaphysics Essays in Honor of Hans Jonas on his 75th Birthday, May 10, 1978 (2011) 4 copies
Hans Jonas : Ansprachen aus Anlass der Verleihung des Friedenpreises des Deutschen Buchhandels 1987 (1987) 2 copies
Dio è un matematico? 1 copy
Il pensiero di Jonas I 1 copy
The Phenominon of Life (5W) 1 copy
Associated Works
Philosophy and Technology: Readings in the Philosophical Problems of Technology (1972) — Contributor, some editions — 33 copies
On Moral Medicine: Theological Perspectives in Medical Ethics (2012) — Contributor, some editions — 20 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Jonas, Hans
- Other names
- Йонас, Ханс
- Birthdate
- 1903-05-10
- Date of death
- 1993-02-05
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- Germany (birth)
- Birthplace
- Mönchengladbach, Rhine Province, German Empire
- Place of death
- New Rochelle, New York, USA
- Places of residence
- England, UK
Palestine
Italy
Israel
Canada
New York, New York, USA - Education
- University of Marburg (Ph.D|1928)
University of Freiburg
University of Berlin
University of Heidelberg - Occupations
- soldier, British Army
Professor of Philosophy - Relationships
- Heidegger, Martin (supervisor)
- Organizations
- British Army Jewish Infantry Brigade Group (WWII)
Israeli Defence Forces
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Carleton University
New York School for Social Research - Awards and honors
- Friedenspreis des deutschen Buchhandels (1987)
Members
Reviews
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 50
- Also by
- 3
- Members
- 1,428
- Popularity
- #18,017
- Rating
- 4.2
- Reviews
- 16
- ISBNs
- 130
- Languages
- 11
- Favorited
- 5