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Breve História de Johann F. Zöllner
Breve História de Johann F. Zöllner
son of a forester, and died on 12 December 1804 in Berlin. He was a noted clergyman,
educational reformer, and freemason, although he is perhaps best remembered for a
footnote in which he posed the question: “What is enlightenment?”
Zöllner entered the university at Frankfurt/Oder in 1770 studying philosophy and
theology under J. G. Töllner [bio]. He then worked as a tutor for Baron von Kottwitz
and traveled through Germany with him, after which Zöllner settled in Berlin. He was
appointed head chaplain at the Charité (the large teaching hospital in Berlin), then
deacon (1782) and later pastor of the Marienkirche. In 1788 he was named provost of
the Nicolaikirche and joined the Superior Consistory (Oberkonsistorium), the
administrative body overseeing the Lutheran church in Prussia. Along with the other
members of the consistory, Zöllner resisted the reformist efforts of Minister Wöllner,
whose attempts to increase outward shows of piety and orthodoxy would, they thought,
merely result in mindless hypocrisy.
He had a strong interest in adult and continuing education, as indicated by his collection
of Readers (1782-1804) offering popularly written essays on a variety of topics, and his
weekly (1784) that sought to bring the natural and social sciences to a wider audience.
In 1786 he was asked by Friedrich Wilhelm II to prepare a report on the industrial
schools flourishing at the time in the western German lands, and in 1800 he joined
the Oberschulkollegium, where he was responsible for the schools in the east,
accompanying von Massow on an information-gathering trip through Prussia in 1802.
In his 1804 work on a “national education,” he takes exception with Pestalozzi, arguing
that what is primarily needed among our children is an inculcation of “love of country,”
and that this should happen for all children in a grammar school common to all.
Zöllner also belonged to a secret society in Berlin known as the “Wednesday Society”
(Mittwochsgesellschaft), although members referred to the group as “Friends of
Enlightenment.” It included various high government officials like von Dohm and
Klein, philosophers like Moses Mendelssohn [bio], theologians like Spalding,
Teller [bio], and Zöllner, as well as the two editors of the Berlinische
Monatsschrift (Gedike [bio] and Biester [bio]), perhaps the leading journal of
enlightenment thought in Germany. Zöllner published an article in the December 1783
issue of that journal in which he opposed the institution of civil marriage — an idea
suggested in an article anonymously written by Biester for the September issue and
which claimed that tying marriage to religion was contrary to Enlightenment ideals.
Zöllner countered that marriage was too important an institution for this, and that it
required the stability only religion could provide. The very foundations of morality
were being shaken, he wrote, and we should rethink our steps before “confusing the
hearts and minds of the people in the name of Enlightenment” — at which point he
asked in a footnote: “What is enlightenment? This question, which is nearly as
important as ‘What is truth?’ should be answered before one begins to enlighten.” This
question led to a series of essays appearing in the Berlinische Monatsschrift and
elsewhere, most famously Immanuel Kant’s “In answer to the question: What is
Enlightenment?” (Dec. 1784) [writings]. Moses Mendelssohn's essay (“On the
Question: What is Enlightenment?”) was first delivered as a speech (16 May 1784)
before the same “Wednesday Society.”
Breve história de Johann F. Zöllner1
1
Copyright ©2006. Steve Naragon (Manchester University). Last modified: 11 Jul 2010.
Steve Naragon é Professor de Filosofia, Departamento de Religião e Filosofia da Universidade de
Manchester. Telefone: 260.982.5041. ssnaragon@manchester.edu.
Este é um rascunho de um artigo no The Dictionary of Eighteenth Century German Philosophers, 3 vols.,
editado por Manfred Kuehn e Heiner Klemme (Londres/Nova York: Continuum, 2010). Disponível em:
https://users.manchester.edu/FacStaff/SSNaragon/Kant/bio/fullbio/zollnerjf.html.
Zöllner também pertencia a uma sociedade secreta em Berlim conhecida como
“Sociedade de Quarta-feira” (Mittwochsgesellschaft), embora os membros se referissem
ao grupo como “Amigos do Iluminismo”. Incluía vários altos funcionários do governo
como von Dohm e Klein, filósofos como Moses Mendelssohn [bio], teólogos como
Spalding, Teller [bio] e Zöllner, bem como os dois editores do Berlinische Monatsschrift
[revista Berlin Mensal, e editado por Friedrich Gedike e Johann Erich Biester] (Gedike
[bio] e Biester [bio]), talvez o principal jornal do pensamento iluminista na Alemanha.
Zöllner publicou um artigo na edição de dezembro de 1783 daquele jornal no qual se
opunha à instituição do casamento civil — uma ideia sugerida num artigo escrito
anonimamente por Biester para a edição de setembro e que afirmava que vincular o
casamento à religião era contrário aos ideais do Iluminismo. Zöllner respondeu que o
casamento era uma instituição importante demais para isso e que exigia a estabilidade
que só a religião poderia proporcionar. Os próprios fundamentos da moralidade estavam
a ser abalados, escreveu ele, e deveríamos repensar os nossos passos antes de
“confundir os corações e as mentes das pessoas em nome do Iluminismo” – altura em
que ele perguntou numa nota de rodapé: “O que é o Iluminismo? Esta questão, que é
quase tão importante como ‘O que é a verdade?’, deve ser respondida antes de
começarmos a iluminar.” Esta questão levou a uma série de ensaios publicados no
Berlinische Monatsschrift e em outros lugares, sendo o mais famoso “Em resposta à
pergunta: O que é o Iluminismo?”, de Immanuel Kant. (dezembro de 1784) [escritos]. O
ensaio de Moses Mendelssohn (“Sobre a Questão: O que é o Iluminismo?”) foi
proferido pela primeira vez como um discurso (16 de maio de 1784) perante a mesma
“Sociedade de Quarta-feira”.