EUCKRN, Rudolf Christoph, German philosopher : b. Aurich, East Frisia, 5 Jan. 184.6. His father died while he was a child, but he enjoyed the loving care of his mother, a woman of marked irktelligence and warm sympathies. His early education *as received in his native town and he came under the influence of the theologian and philosopher, William Reuter, who was one of his teachers. It is generally believed that Reuter stimulated his interest in religion. He studied at Gottin gen where he entered the philosophical classes of Hermann Lotze. It was characteristic of the man that, while he admired Lotze's acute ness, he was not attracted by it. Thus early his anti-intellectualism displayed itself. Eudcen took his doctor's degree at GOttingen, not in philosophy, but in classical philology and ancient history. After his graduation, he spent five years as a gymnasium teacher. In 1871 he was called to the University of Basel, and in 1874 he received a call to succeed Kuno Fischer as professor of philosophy at Jena. Here he set tled permanently, refusing invitations to other places. During the quiet years passed as a teacher at Jena. he worked out his own phi losophy of history and life. In 1908 he received the Nobel prize for literature. His interna tional fame dates from this period. In 1911 he visited England and received a cordial re ception, and the next year he came to the United States to deliver a course of lectures at Harvard.
Eucken's early philosophical work was along historical lines. In fact, his first publications deal with Aristotle. Gradually, his thinking be came more original and constructive and moved in the direction of a philosophy of religion. His philosophy can best be described technically as a spiritual activism founded on a NeoKantian theory of knowledge. He makes constant use of history to show the growth of life-systems which soar beyond anything for which the phy sical world can account. This inner spiritual life of man is real .and tremendously significant While it is conditioned by physical processes, it is not reducible to them. Spiritual values are achievements which must be actively appropri ated by those who come after. Mere accept
ance is not enough. We have already referred to his anti-intellectualism. This does not con sist of a distrust of reason but of a feeling that concepts are not sufficient. There must be ex periencing as well as knowing. Philosophy must aim at a profound penetration of life in the light of eternal values.
There can be no doubt that Eucken has strucic an. important note. His attack upon mere traditionalism, for instance, is valuable. So is his stress upon personal idealism. But the technical thinker is likely to criticize his neglect of theory of knowledge and his disre gard of the mind-body problem. These lacunx need filling in, as .even his most ardent disciples admit. Yet, when all is said, Eucken must be accorded a high place among modern thinkers. He has helped to free religion from its mytho logical setting and to bring into relief its ethical content He has been a very prolific writer. The following are his chief works: (Die Methode der Aristotelischen Forschung' (1872) ; 'Die Grundbegriffe der Gegenwart' (1878; this was published in its third edition under the title (Geistige Striimungen der Ge genwart') ; (Geschichte der philosophischen Terminologie (1879) ; (Die Einheit des Geis teslebens' (1888); (Die Lebensanschauungen der grossen Denker' (1890; English title 'The Problem of Human Life') ; 'Der Kampf urn einen geistigen Lebensinhalt' (1896) ; 'Der Wahrheitsgehalt der Religion) (1901; English title 'The Truth of Religion)) ; 'Hauptprobleme der Religionsphilosophie der Gegenwart' (1907; English title 'Christianity and the New Ideal ism)); 'Sinn and Wert des Lebens> (1908; English title 'The Meaning and Value of Life)); 'Religion and Life' (1911) ; 'Can We Still be Christians' (1914). The two best ex positions of Eucken's philosophy in English are Boyce Gibson's 'Rudolf Eucken's Philos ophy of Life) (New York 1907), and W. Tudor Jones's 'An Interpretation of Rudolf Eucken's Philosophy.' Consult, also, Hfiffding's discus sion in 'Modern Philosophers,' Meynck Booth's (Eucken : his Philosophy and Influence,) and 0. Siebert's 'R. Euckens Welt and Lebensan schauung.)