Hans Jonas

German-born philosopher Hans Jonas (may 10 1903 - February 5 1993) studied under Martin Heidegger and Rudolf Bultmann in the 1920s. In 1933 he emigrated to England; in 1935 he went to Palestine, in 1949 to Canada. In 1955 he took up lecturing in New York.

Related Topics:
May 10 - 1903 - February 5 - 1993 - Martin Heidegger - Rudolf Bultmann - 1920s - 1933 - England - 1935 - Palestine - 1949 - Canada - 1955 - New York

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He is best known for his influential work The Imperative of Responsibility (German 1979, English 1984). His work centers on social and ethical problems created by technology. Jonas insists that human survival depends on our efforts to care for our planet and its future. He formulated a new and distinctive supreme principle of morality, "Act so that the effects of your action are compatible with the permanence of genuine human life".

Related Topics:
German - 1979 - English - 1984 - Technology

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He also wrote extensively on Gnosticism, for which he is almost equally well known, interpreting the religion from an existentialist philosophical viewpoint.

Related Topics:
Gnosticism - Existentialist

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Jonas' philosophy was influenced by the process philosophy and process theology of Alfred North Whitehead.

Related Topics:
Process philosophy - Process theology - Alfred North Whitehead

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