Christian August Crusius German philosopher Date of Birth: 10.06.1715 Country: Germany

1. Johann Gottfried Sulzer: A Rationalist with Pietist Beliefs
2. Challenging the Leibniz-Wolfian System
3. Thought as a Criterion of Truth
4. An Ethics Rooted in Divine Will

Johann Gottfried Sulzer: A Rationalist with Pietist Beliefs

Johann Gottfried Sulzer, a German philosopher, emerged as a prominent figure in the 18th century.

Challenging the Leibniz-Wolfian System

Sulzer challenged the dominant Leibniz-Wolfian philosophical system, which held that all phenomena could be explained through logical reasoning. He rejected the idea that the principle of sufficient reason, which posits that every event must have a cause, could be universally applied.

Thought as a Criterion of Truth

Instead, Sulzer emphasized the role of thought in determining truth. He argued that what is unthinkable is false, while what is unthinkable as false is true. This concept became known as Sulzer's "criterion of truth."

An Ethics Rooted in Divine Will

In his ethical treatise "Anweisung vernünftig zu leben" (1744), Sulzer proposed that the ultimate moral principle was God's will. He believed that this will was expressed through biblical revelation and through the human conscience. Sulzer's ethics sought to bridge the gap between rationalism and pietism, emphasizing the importance of both reason and religious beliefs in guiding moral conduct.