Georg Friedrich Meier | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1718-03-26)26 March 1718 |
| Died | 21 June 1777(1777-06-21) (aged 59) |
| Education | |
| Education | University of Halle |
| Academic advisors | A. G. Baumgarten |
| Philosophical work | |
| Era | 18th-century philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Age of Enlightenment |
| Institutions | University of Halle |
| Main interests | Aesthetics |
Georg Friedrich Meier (26 March 1718 – 21 June 1777) was a Germanphilosopher andaesthetician.[2] A follower ofAlexander Gottlieb Baumgarten, he reformed the philosophy ofChristian Wolff by introducing elements ofJohn Locke'sempiricist theory of knowledge.[3]
Meier studied philosophy and theology at theUniversity of Halle, where he was a pupil of Baumgarten. Meier succeeded Baumgarten as extraordinary professor, and became a full professor at Halle in 1748.[4]
Meier was an early advocate ofanimal rights. In 1749, Meier authoredVersuch eines neuen Lehrgebäudes von den Seelen der Thiere (Attempt of a new teaching structure from the souls of animals) which ascribed the same sensory perceptions to both animals and man.[5] He granted animals imagination, intelligence, judgement, memory, language, pleasure and displeasure. Meier believed that animals were capable of love and that theirsouls were eternal for God cannot destroy anything.[5]
Meier fiercely opposed the mechanist views ofRené Descartes.[6] He believed that God had endowed animals with souls to enjoy his creation and after death an animals soul could reach the next step of incarnation until finally becoming a human soul.[6] His doctrine ofmetempsychosis was not based on respect for animal life or their welfare. In contrast, Meier advocated the killing of animals due to his unusual belief that it would accelerate the rise of their souls.[6]
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