Reiner Schürmann
Encyclopedia
Father Reiner Schürmann, O.P., Ph.D.
(February 4, 1941 – August 20, 1993) was Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York
.
Born in Amsterdam
in 1941 of German parents, Reiner Schürmann wrote all his major published work in French
. Director of the faculty of philosophy at the New School for Social Research Graduate Faculty of New York at the time of his death, he was the author of three notable philosophical works: Maître Eckhart et la joie errante ("Master Eckhart and the Wandering Joy", 1972; translated into English as Meister Eckhart
: Mystic and philosopher ISBN 0253351839, 1978), Le Principe d'anarchie, Heidegger et la question de l'agir (From Principles to Anarchy: Heidegger on Being and Acting, 1982), and lastly, the monumental work Des Hégémonies brisées (Broken Hegemonies ISBN 0253215471, 2003), published posthumously in 1996.
Professor
Schürmann studied philosophy and theology
with the Dominicans
of Le Centre d'études du Saulchoir near Paris, France, between 1962 and 1969, and received a Doctorate
in Philosophy from the University of Sorbonne in Paris in 1981. It was as a Dominican priest that he first came to the United States in 1971, teaching first at The Catholic University of America
in Washington DC, then at Duquesne University
in Pittsburgh. In his only literary work, Les Origines, which was awarded the Broquette-Gonin Prize by the Académie Française
in 1977, he provides an autobiographical account of a pilgrimage of errancy, a search for redemption from the inauthentic thrownness
of a past filled with memories of guilt and despair, of being born German during World War II
, "too late to see the war, too early to forget it." In 1976, he left the priesthood and began teaching philosophy at the New School as a protégé of Hannah Arendt
.
One of Schürmann's best-known works is Heidegger on Being and Acting: From Principles to Anarchy (1990 reprint ISBN 0253206022). Schürmann points out the difference between the findings of Heidegger the thinker and the beliefs of Heidegger the man, and incidentally shows Heidegger's intellectual honesty in following these thoughts in spite of his personal upbringing and beliefs.
Reiner Schürmann died of complications caused by AIDS on August 20, 1993 in New York City.
Homepage giving access to publications http://www.presocratics.org/?page_id=211
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(February 4, 1941 – August 20, 1993) was Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Born in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1941 of German parents, Reiner Schürmann wrote all his major published work in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. Director of the faculty of philosophy at the New School for Social Research Graduate Faculty of New York at the time of his death, he was the author of three notable philosophical works: Maître Eckhart et la joie errante ("Master Eckhart and the Wandering Joy", 1972; translated into English as Meister Eckhart
Meister Eckhart
Eckhart von Hochheim O.P. , commonly known as Meister Eckhart, was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic, born near Gotha, in the Landgraviate of Thuringia in the Holy Roman Empire. Meister is German for "Master", referring to the academic title Magister in theologia he obtained in Paris...
: Mystic and philosopher ISBN 0253351839, 1978), Le Principe d'anarchie, Heidegger et la question de l'agir (From Principles to Anarchy: Heidegger on Being and Acting, 1982), and lastly, the monumental work Des Hégémonies brisées (Broken Hegemonies ISBN 0253215471, 2003), published posthumously in 1996.
Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Schürmann studied philosophy and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
with the Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
of Le Centre d'études du Saulchoir near Paris, France, between 1962 and 1969, and received a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Philosophy from the University of Sorbonne in Paris in 1981. It was as a Dominican priest that he first came to the United States in 1971, teaching first at The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington DC, then at Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
in Pittsburgh. In his only literary work, Les Origines, which was awarded the Broquette-Gonin Prize by the Académie Française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
in 1977, he provides an autobiographical account of a pilgrimage of errancy, a search for redemption from the inauthentic thrownness
Thrownness
Thrownness is a concept introduced by German philosopher Martin Heidegger to describe the interactions of the subject with its surroundings in the everyday life, that causes it to act upon instincts, immediate reactions to other people's language and actions, "flow with the situation," and...
of a past filled with memories of guilt and despair, of being born German during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, "too late to see the war, too early to forget it." In 1976, he left the priesthood and began teaching philosophy at the New School as a protégé of Hannah Arendt
Hannah Arendt
Hannah Arendt was a German American political theorist. She has often been described as a philosopher, although she refused that label on the grounds that philosophy is concerned with "man in the singular." She described herself instead as a political theorist because her work centers on the fact...
.
One of Schürmann's best-known works is Heidegger on Being and Acting: From Principles to Anarchy (1990 reprint ISBN 0253206022). Schürmann points out the difference between the findings of Heidegger the thinker and the beliefs of Heidegger the man, and incidentally shows Heidegger's intellectual honesty in following these thoughts in spite of his personal upbringing and beliefs.
Reiner Schürmann died of complications caused by AIDS on August 20, 1993 in New York City.
External links
- It was the French philosopher Gérard GranelGérard GranelGérard Granel was a French philosopher and translator.- Life and work :Born in Paris, Granel attended the lycée Louis-le-Grand and the courses of Michel Alexandre, Jean Hyppolite and, later, of Louis Althusser and Jean Beaufret...
who published posthumously the French original of Broken Hegemonies: "Des Hégémonies brisées", Mauvezin, T.E.R., 1996. Furthermore, Granel devoted to Schürmann's testament a study: "Untameable Singularity (Some Remarks on Broken Hegemonies)".
Homepage giving access to publications http://www.presocratics.org/?page_id=211