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In Memoriam: Ernst Tugendhat (1930-2023)

Brian Leiter

Professor Tugendhat was an early and influential proponent of "analytic" style linguistic philosophy in Germany, but also wrote influentially on Husserl and Heidegger.  He taught at a number of German universities during his career, including Heidelberg and the Free University of Berlin. There is an obituary in English here.  Comments are open for remembrances from those who knew Professor Tugendhat or for those who wish to comment on the significance of his work.

UPDATE:  A statement of condolences regarding Professor Tugendhat from the German President!  (Thanks to Christian Beyer for the pointer.)

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6 responses to “In Memoriam: Ernst Tugendhat (1930-2023)”

  1. Ted Talbot

    He was also a prominent peace activist and defender of immigrants' rights.
    I had the great pleasure of attending his and Michael Theunissen's jointly conducted seminar on Hegel's Logic in Berlin.

    Reply
  2. Michael V Wedin

    I also attended such lectures in Berlin and thought very highly of him, despite my skepticism about Hegel having a logic.

    Reply
  3. Martin Kalin

    In 1968, Professor Tugendhat held a seminar in Heidelberg on Kant. At the time I was finishing a dissertation (Northwestern under Molke Gram) on Kant's 2nd analogy, and was a member of his seminar.
    Much to the chagrin of the other participants, Tugendhat gave out written homework assignments and, if memory serves, held a final exam. (As an American, I found both to be natural.)

    He was an excellent teacher with an obvious love for the material. What a contrast to Gadamer, who also taught in Heidelberg at the time.

    Reply
  4. Eric Watkins

    I was a graduate student (and, technically, TA) of Tugendhat's in Berlin for several years in the mid 80s. In addition to being one of the leading philosophers in Germany at the time (along with Habermas and Henrich), he was an excellent teacher of the ancient period up through contemporary theoretical and practical philosophy, and exercised enormous influence in academia and beyond. His intellectual honesty and concern for his fellow human beings (including his students!) always impressed me greatly, especially in a university system that made such concern difficult to act on.

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  5. Amit

    He was great teacher!

    Reply
  6. Roberto

    Mein großer Meister ist gegangen.
    Er war immer mein Doktorvater, viele Jahre bevor wir uns trafen und er mein Mentor in Berlin wurde.
    Ich denke bescheiden, dass ich sein treuester Schüler war, sogar und hauptsächlich, weil ich ihm fast immer in fast allem widersprach.
    Aber ich habe von ihm alles gelernt, was ich in der Philosophie für wesentlich halte: auf das Wesentliche zielen und davon absehen, dass es bloßes Ornament ist.
    RUHE IN FRIEDEN
    Ernst Tugendhat.

    My great master has passed away.
    He was always my guide many years before we met and he became my mentor in Berlin.
    I think in all modesty that I was his most faithful disciple, also and especially because I disagreed with him on almost everything.
    But I learned from him everything that I consider essential in philosophy: to aim at the essential and to leave aside everything that is only ornament.
    RIP
    Ernst Tugendhat.

    Meu grande mestre se foi.
    Ele sempre foi o meu norte, muitos anos antes de nos conhecermos e de eu me tornar seu orientando em Berlin.
    Acho, modestamente, que fui o seu mais fiel discípulo, mesmo, e principalmente, por ter discordando dele quase sempre em quase tudo.
    Mas aprendi com ele tudo o que considero essencial na filosofia: mirar o que importa e deixar de lado que é mero ornamento.
    R.I.P
    Ernst Tugendhat.

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