BENEKE, bTenc-ke, FRIEDRICH EDUARD ( c.I S56 ) . A noted German psychologist. He was horn in Berlin, February 17, 179S. He studied theology at Ilalle, and afterwards philosophy at Berlin. In 1820 he began lecturing at the latter university, but two years later his lectures were interdicted by the Minister Altenstein, appar ently because Beneke's philosophical views were in opposition to those of Hegel. Beneke then held a position as lecturer at Gottingen for three years, until in 1827 he was allowed to re sume lecturing in Berlin. Upon the death of Hegel in 1832 he was appointed assistant pro fessor of philosophy. On _March 1, 1854, he disappeared from his home, and all traces of him were lost, until his corpse was discovered in the canal at Charlottenburg in June, 1556. He probably died by suicide.
Beneke was a prolific writer. His most important works were his psychological trea tises. His standpoint throughout was empirical, opposed to Hegelian speculation, and closely al lied to British Associationism. He believed that
a true psychology, which is the basis of all knowledge, must he formulated in accordance with the rigid methods of physical science, and that the genetic method is most valuable. De: spite this empirical vein, he found the elements of mind in certain formal capacities, termed the 'primal faculties.' His work is so often the oretical and inexact that it must be regarded as stimulating rather than fundamental.
His principal works are: Erfahrungsseelen lehre, Grandlage alles Wissens, in Throb Hauptziigen dargclegt (1820) ; -Terre Grundle gunge), zur Metaphysik (1822) ; Psychologise/le Skizzen (1825-27) ; Lclirbueh der l'syehologie als Naturwissenschaft (4th ed., 1877) ; Erziehungs and Untcrriehtslehre (1835-36; 4th ed., 1576) ; System, der Logik als Kunstlehre des Denkens (1842) ; Prag-matisehe Psychologic, oder Seelen lehrs in der Anwendung auf das Leben (1350) .