Page:Mind (New Series) Volume 6.djvu/465

 ''' I.— RICHARD AVENARIUS AND HIS GENERAL THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE, EMPIRIOCRITICISM. '''

, Zürich University.

(Translated by H. .)

Richard Avenarius, Professor of Philosophy at the University, died at Zürich on 18th August, 1896, only a very small circle of philosophers and pupils knew what a powerful mind had been snatched from amongst them; for he was a man whose unique thought was unappreciated by his contemporaries solely because it was unique, and diverged too much from what was previously familiar.

Concerning the life of this philosopher I will merely state briefly that he was born at Paris, 19th November, 1843, that he first devoted himself (by his father’s wish) to the book trade, but afterwards studied—for the most part philosophy—at Zürich, Berlin, and Leipzig; in 1876 he attached himself to the University of Leipzig, and in 1877 was called as Professor of Philosophy to Zürich. In 1877 he instituted, with the help of C. Goering, M. Heinze, and W. Wundt, the Vierteljahrsschrift für wissenschaftliche Philosophie and continued it until his death, latterly with the help of M. Heinze and Al. Riehl. In addition to several smaller contributions