WILLMANN, OTTO. - Philosopher and noted educationist, b. at Lissa (Posen) on 24 April 1839, d. at Leitmeritz on 1 July 1920. He studied at Breslau and Berlin; he taught at Leipzig (1863-68), Vienna (1868-1872) and Prague (1872-1903).

Of a Catholic family, after an initial adherence to the principles of Herbartianism he turned to Catholic thought. From the standpoint of Thomism he carried out a vast critique of modern philosophy and pedagogy. His attacks on Kant provoked lively discussions on the relationship between Thomistic and Kantian philosophy. His many works deal with the most varied aspects of didactics, pedagogy and philosophy. Worth remembering: Pädagogische Vorträge über die Hebung der geistigen Tätigkeit durch den Unterricht (1868, 4th ed. 1905); Gesch. des Idealismus (3 vols., 1894-97; 2nd ed. 1907); Grundlinien idealer Weltanschauung (1905); Die Wissenschaft vom Gesichtspunkt der katholischen Wahrheit (1916, 2nd ed. 1928).

Bibliography7 works

BIBL.: G. Greisse, O. W., Paderborn 1916; J. B. Seindenberger, O. W., ibid. 1923; H. Pixberg, Soziologie u. Pädagogik bei W., diss., Cologne 1928; W. Pohl, O. W. 3 religiöser Entwicklungsgang, Vienna 1935; id., s. v. in LThK, X. coll. 222-24 (largely informative with list of writings and bibl.); L. Krebs, O. W. zum Gedächtnis, Freiburg im Br. [1940]; cf. also W. Ziegenfus, Philosophen-Lexik., II, Berlin 1950, p. 888. Enrico Garulli

@incollection{ec12_willmann_otto, author = {Garulli, Enrico}, title = {Willmann, otto}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {XII}, pages = {1687}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1954}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/willmann-otto} }

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Willmann, Otto

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