Christian Ehrenfels

Vocation

Notable

Austrian philosopher remembered for his introduction of the term Gestalt (“figure”) into psychology and for his contribution to value theory. From 1896 to 1929 he was professor of philosophy at the German university of Prague. Ehrenfels’ article “Über Gestaltqualitäten,” which appeared in 1890 was the starting point of Gestalt psychology. He used the term Gestalt to refer to the complex data that require more than immediate sense experience in order to be perceived. In his System der Werttheorie, 2 vol. (1897–98; “System of Value Theory”), also a pioneer work, Ehrenfels treated the concept of value psychologically, as a function of desire. The value placed by persons on various objects thus became the basis of both his social and his individual ethics. Ehrenfels’ other writings include plays and choral dramas. He died 8 September 1932 in Lichtenau. Link to Wikipedia biography