THOMASIITS, CmusrrAN, a German philosopher and jurist, was born at Leipsic, Jan. 1, 1655; studied at Frankfort-on-the-Oder (1675-79), and, returning to his native town, commenced to lecture on law in a style perfectly free from the pedantry of the schools. In 1687, to the astonishment of his Latin-speaking colleagues, he adopted the German language as the vehicle of his expositions, published his progamme for the following year in the same and commenced a monthly journal under the very German title 9 of Freimuthige, Lusttge und Ernsthafte, jedoch Vernunft- und Gesetzmassige Gedanken oder Monztsgespretche fiber Altcrhand, Vornehmlich aber neue Bucher (Honest, Merry, Sincere, yet Rational and Moderate Thoughts, or Monthly Talk concerning all Sorts of Books, but especially New Ones). This work, however, excited so much opposition that he was forced to leave Leipsic, and went first to Berlin, and afterward (1690) to Halle, where, under the patronage of the Brandenburg court, his lectures were the means of establishing a university, since famous. In this university Thomasius became professor of jurisprudence, and here he died, Sept. 23, 1728. The great aim of Thomasius was to harmonize and blend science and life; hence his contempt for hair-splitting subtleties of which nothing could be made; his preference for the use of German rather than Latin in his academic lectures; his disinclination to all philosophical terminology, his depreciation of the school-men, etc. But more particularly he was among the first who insisted on
dissociating natural right from morality, and, in connection therewith, honorably sig nalized himself as a courageous opponent of trial for witchcraft and punishment by torture. The characteristic features of his mode of thought are contained in his Vernunftige und Chm:itliehe aber nicht Seheinheilige Gedanke und Brinnerungen fiber Allerhand Auserlesene, Gemischte, Philosophische end Juristische Handel (Rational and Christian, but not pretend edly Pious Thoughts and Recollections concerning sundry Choice, Mixed, Philosophical, and Juristic Transactions, 3 vols. Halle, 1723-26); and in his Gesehichte der Weisheit und 2horheit (History of Wisdom and Folly).—See Luden, Christian Thomasius nach seinen Sineksalen und Sehriften (Berl. 1805).