Hans Jonas Knihy

Hans Jonas (1903-1993) war Philosoph und wegweisender Theoretiker der internationalen Ökologiebewegung. Er floh 1933 vor den Nationalsozialisten und emigrierte, nach Stationen in Großbritannien und Israel, schießlich in die USA. Dort forschte und lehrte Jonas unter anderem an der renommierten New School for Social Research. Sein Werk wurde in 15 Sprachen übersetzt.

A fascinating memoir by a major philosopher of the 20th century

Exploring the intersections of gnosticism, biology, and technology, this collection features essays by Hans Jonas, a significant figure in 20th-century philosophy. Organized in reverse chronological order, it begins with discussions on "Science, Technology, and Ethics," followed by insights into "Organism, Mind, and History," and concludes with reflections on early Christian religious thought. This unique structure emphasizes Jonas's view of the philosophical importance of technology in shaping human understanding and existence.

Hans Jonas here rethinks the foundations of ethics in light of the awesome transformations wrought by modern technology: the threat of nuclear war, ecological ravage, genetic engineering, and the like. Though informed by a deep reverence for human life, Jonas's ethics is grounded not in religion but in metaphysics, in a secular doctrine that makes explicit man's duties toward himself, his posterity, and the environment. Jonas offers an assessment of practical goals under present circumstances, ending with a critique of modern utopianism.

Focusing on the intertwining of ethics and metaphysics, this work highlights Hans Jonas's philosophical perspective that values are fundamental to existence. As a prominent thinker influenced by notable figures like Heidegger and Bultmann, and a close associate of Hannah Arendt, Jonas's ideas reflect a deep exploration of the relationship between moral principles and the nature of reality. This book serves as both a culmination of his thought and a demonstration of its relevance in contemporary philosophical discourse.

The Gnostic Religion was the 1st decent introduction to gnosticism for the modern world & is still of value today. It includes both heresiological & original texts--Nag Hammadi only uncovered later. It holds useful material on Simon Magus, the Hermetic Poimandres (shown here to be equally a gnostic document), the Valentinians, Mandaeans, Manichaeans & the "Hymn of the Pearl". The existentialist bent--Jonas a student of Martin Heidegger--makes an interesting contrast to Pagel's more orthodox view of gnostic religion as theistic. This volume & the Nag Hammadi library will provide good coverage of the diverse teachings of gnostic & related movements. Introduction: East & West in Hellenism The Meaning of Gnosis & the Extent of the Gnostic Movement Gnostic Imagery & Symbolic Language Simon Magus The "Hymn of the Pearl" The Angels that Made the World. The Gospel of Marcion The Poimandres of Hermes Trismegistus The Valentinian Speculation Creation, World History & Salvation According to Mani The Cosmos in Greek & Gnostic Evaluation Virtue & the Soul in Greek & Gnostic Teaching The Recent Discoveries in the Field of Gnosticism Epilogue: Gnosticism, Nihilism & Existentialism

Gnostisches Denken ist aktuell, auf ihm beruhen zahlreiche spirituelle Strömungen der Gegenwart. Die historische Gnosis am Beginn unserer Zeitrechnung war eine revolutionäre Bewegung, die sich erstmals der Erfahrung der Einsamkeit des Menschen im Kosmos stellte. Die Gnosis-Forschung hat mit Hans Jonas begonnen. In diesem Buch, erstmals 1958 in englischer Sprache erschienen, seitdem immer wieder überarbeitet und aktualisiert, hat Jonas seine Forschungen für ein breiteres Publikum zusammengefaßt zu einer Wesensanalyse und Kritik der Gnosis, die bis heute maßgeblich geblieben ist. Das Buch von Hans Jonas ist ein Standardwerk, das die Grundbegriffe definiert und die Vielfalt religiöser Phänomene anschaulich beschreibt.

Hans Jonas, le cui pubblicazioni nell'ambito dell'antropologia filosofica hanno offerto per decenni impulsi fondamentali alla riflessione e alla discussione internazionali, sviluppa in Organismo e libertà vita una comprensione del mondo organico che tenta di superare la cesura fra Materiale e Spirituale, diventata determinante per la filosofia e le scienze naturali a partire da Cartesio. Il mondo organico prefigura lo spirito fin dalle sue forme più elementari, così come lo spirito resta parte del mondo organico anche nelle sue manifestazioni più alte: questa è la conclusione cui pervengono analisi critica, descrizione e speculazione filosofica. Le grandi contraddizioni che l'uomo scopre in se stesso - libertà e necessità, autonomia e dipendenza, io e mondo, relazione e isolamento, vitalità creativa e mortalità - sono presenti in nuce già nelle forme più elementari della vita, pericolosamente in bilico fra l'Essere e il Non-essere, ma anche portatrici di un intimo orizzonte di «trascendenza». La vita, intesa nella costante alternanza fra termini contrastanti in tutti i suoi livelli di complessità, fornisce dunque all'uomo un nuovo strumento per comprendere anche se stesso, abbandonando definitivamente l'idea di una cesura metafisica fra se e il resto degli organismi.