Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi
Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi was an influential 18th-century German philosopher and writer, born in Düsseldorf to a wealthy sugar merchant. Initially groomed for a career in business, Jacobi's introspective nature led him to the literary world during his time in Geneva, where he engaged with the ideas of prominent thinkers like Rousseau and Voltaire. After briefly managing his father's business upon returning to Düsseldorf and marrying Betty Clermont, Jacobi shifted his focus to public service as a council member for the Duchies of Berg and Julich. He gained recognition for his intellectual contributions, founding the literary journal Der Teutsche Mercur with C. M. Wieland and publishing his first philosophical novel, *Woldemar*, in 1779. Jacobi's significant work, *Über die Lehre des Spinoza in Briefen an den Herrn Moses Mendelssohn*, published in 1785, presented his opposition to dogmatic philosophy, advocating for a synthesis of philosophy and theology. His ideas, however, faced criticism, with some labeling him a "Jesuit in disguise." Following his relocation to Holstein during the French war, Jacobi continued to publish until he was appointed president of the Bavarian Academy of Science in Munich, where he spent the remainder of his life until his death in 1819.
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Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi
Philosopher
- Born: January 25, 1743
- Birthplace: Düsseldorf, Germany
- Died: March 10, 1819
- Place of death: Munich, Germany
Biography
Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi, an eighteenth century philosopher and writer, was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, the second son of a wealthy sugar merchant. It was his father’s wish that Jacobi become a businessman and run the family business. Jacobi spent a short time as an apprentice to a buyer in Frankfurt, Germany, after which his father sent him to Geneva, Switzerland, for additional business training. Jacobi’s reflective and meditative personality was not well-suited for business; while in Geneva, he was drawn to the literary crowd. Jacobi spent his time studying the works of Charles Bonnet, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Voltaire.
In 1763, Jacobi’s father called him back to Düsseldorf and placed him in charge of the family business. Upon his return to Germany, Jacobi married Betty Clermont, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Jacobi, who didn’t enjoy managing his father’s business, abandoned his commercial enterprises in 1770 and accepted a position as a council member for the Duchies of Berg and Julich. While serving as a council member, Jacobi spent evenings entertaining some of the most prominent literary and scientific thinkers of his time. Jacobi loved all things intellectual and was highly regarded in his social circle for his intelligence and literary talents.
With the help of C. M. Wieland, Jacobi founded the literary journal Der Teutsche Mercur, in which most of his early philosophical writings appeared. In 1779, Jacobi published his first novel on philosophy titled Woldemar. This work was poorly written but presented Jacobi’s broad spectrum of philosophical thinking.
By 1785, Jacobi had published his most significant work, Über die Lehre des Spinoza in Briefen an den Herrn Moses Mendelssohn. This work expressed Jacobi’s objection to a dogmatic approach to philosophy and introduced his notion of philosophy characterized by religious sentiment and spiritual faith. In essence, Jacobi combined philosophy with theology—a theory that was not well received. His critics accused Jacobi of being a “Jesuit in disguise.”
In 1793, with the outbreak of Germany’s war with France, Jacobi relocated to Holstein, Germany, where he spent the next ten years publishing additional philosophical works. In the early 1800’s, after his return to Düsseldorf, Jacobi was appointed as president of the newly founded Bavarian Academy of Science. In order to serve this position, Jacobi left Düsseldorf and relocated to the academy’s headquarters in Munich, Germany. Jacobi lived out the remainder of his years in Munich until his death in 1819.