Høffding, Harald

HØFFDING, HARALD. - Philosopher, b. in Copenhagen on 11 Jan. 1843, professor at that University from 1883, d. there on 2 June 1931.

H. was particularly influenced by Kierkegaard, Kant, Schopenhauer and positivism. He fought metaphysics and in particular intuitionism. In religion he distinguished two aspects: an attempt to explain the world, which, in his view, reaches only negative results, and the affirmation of the existence of a system of values, which must submit to the test of criticism and cannot be in conflict with the demands of the modern conscience. Theological dogmas correspond to problems in philosophy. Besides the philosophy of religion he concerned himself particularly with psychology, ethics, epistemology and the history of modern philosophy.

Principal works (many of which were translated into Italian, French, English and German, some also into Spanish, Polish, Russian, Finnish and even Japanese): Den nyere filosofis historie (History of Modern Philosophy, 2 vols., Copenhagen 1894-95, Italian trans., 1st ed., Milan 1906); Psychologi i Omrids paa Grundlag af Erfaring (Outlines of Psychology on the Basis of Experience, Copenhagen 1881); Etik (ibid. 1887); Religionsfilosofi (ibid. 1901); Moderne Filosofer (ibid. 1904). He also wrote historical monographs on Kierkegaard, on Rousseau, on Bergson and on Spinoza's ethics. In Danish only: Mindre Arbejder (Minor Works); Oplevelse og Tydning (Immediate Feeling [*Erlebnis, feeling] and Signification, ibid. 1918); Udvalgte Skrifter (Selected Writings, 7 vols., ibid. 1902 ff.); Danske Filosofers (Danish Philosophers*, ibid. 1919).

Andrea Ferro