Carl Günther Ludovici

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Carl Günther Ludovici , latinized from Ludewig (* August 7, 1707 in Leipzig ; † July 5, 1778 ibid), was a German Evangelical Lutheran philosopher , librarian, lexicographer and economist .

Life

Carl Günther's father Christian Ludovici (1697–1724), the professor of philosophy at the University of Leipzig , a theologian and orientalist , had him instructed by various tutors from the age of two. After further lessons at the Thomas School , Carl Günther Ludovici studied philosophy and theology together with Paul Daniel Longolius at the University of Leipzig from 1724, where he graduated in 1728 with a master's degree in philosophy. After he was accepted into the "German Society" on August 9, 1730, he worked there as a librarian. In 1733 he was appointed full professor of world wisdom (professor of philosophy) at this university and has held this office since 1734.

Services

As a professor, Ludovici initially devoted himself primarily to the presentation and interpretation of the philosophical teachings of Christian Wolff and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and published two extensive works on this, which sparked heated discussions in the world of scholars. They brought him complaints from professors at the University of Halle, but also led him to a lively correspondence with other scholars of his time.

In 1739 he was appointed director of his Great Universal Lexicon by Johann Heinrich Zedler , and until 1754 he was the main editor of volumes 19 to 64 and the supplement volumes 1 to 4 of this largest German-language lexical achievement of the 18th century. He introduced a number of innovations in the processing of the lexicon and increased its quality considerably. His prefaces to volumes 19, 21, 23 and the first volume of the supplements are important lexicographical sources. The extensive articles about Christian Wolff and the Wolffian philosophy certainly came from his pen. The mathematical type of teaching was a central concept of his Wolff-oriented philosophy and led him to the euphoric assessment that the fundamentally new epoch of the "Seculum demonstrativum" began with this new system. He emphasized that Wolff's method was now used by numerous authors. This method, which is characterized by the thoroughness of the scientific work and which serves the purpose of driving away superstition, has many enemies.

While working on the Zedler volumes , he published the German translation of the commercial lexicon of the French Jacques Savary des Bruslons (1622–1690) from 1741–1743 . From this work grew an independently compiled Kaufmanns Lexicon , the five volumes of which began to appear before the end of work on the Zedler in 1752 and were completed in 1756. It is the first German-language trade lexicon to which he added a systematic outline of this subject as the last volume. Apparently the lexicon was actually used by merchants, because it can be proven in the possession of trading houses.

Ludovici was a member of the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences as well as the Leipzig societies of economics, the liberal arts and the German language. In addition, he was a member of the Princes' College, calendar overseer and archivist at the University of Leipzig.

Fonts (selection)

  • Kurtzer draft of a complete history of Wolffian philosophy . Lion, Leipzig 1736.
    • [2. Edition in three volumes (first volume also appeared in third edition) under the title:] Detailed draft of a complete history of Wolffian philosophy . Lion, Leipzig 1737–1738. Reprint: Olms, Hildesheim 1977 (= Christian Wolff: Gesammelte Werke. Ed. By Jean École et al. Section 3: Materials and Documents, Vol. 1,1-3).
  • Detailed draft of a complete history of Leibnitz philosophy (2 vols.). Löwe, Leipzig 1737. Reprint: Olms, Hildesheim 1966.
  • Collection and excerpts of all controversial writings on the Wolffian philosophy (2 vols.). Born, Leipzig 1737–1738. Reprinted in one volume: Olms, Hildesheim 1976 (= Christian Wolff: Gesammelte Werke. Ed. By Jean École et al. Section 3: Materials and Documents, Vol. 2).
  • Latest merits of the Leibnitzisch-Wolffischen world wisdom . Frankfurt a. M. and Leipzig 1738. Reprint: Olms, Hildesheim 1973 (= Christian Wolff: Gesammelte Werke. Ed. By Jean École et al. Section 3: Materials and Documents, Vol. 3). Digitized
  • Large complete universal lexicon of all sciences and arts : 1739–1754 Head and main editor of volumes 19–64 and the supplements - (full texts on Wikisource )
  • Jacques Savary des Bruslons: General Treasury Chamber of Commerce: or complete lexicon of all activities and trades both in Germany and in foreign kingdoms and countries; together with an appendix of their now flourishing merchants and traders names, contoirs, factories ... ( Dictionnaire universel de commerce , German; 4 vols. and continuation). Heinsius, Leipzig 1741–1743.
  • Opened academy of merchants, or complete merchant's lexicon: from which all actions and trades, with all their advantages, and the manner of doing them, can be learned; and in which all sea ports, the most distinguished cities and trading places; all kinds of raw and processed goods; the artists, manufacturers and craftsmen; Commerciencollegia, commercial courts, banks, stock exchanges, pawnshops, factories, factories and workshops; the rights and privileges of the merchant class, etc. are described and explained: With a lot of diligence compiled from the best writers ... (5 vols.). Breitkopf, Leipzig 1752–1756. - 2nd increased and improved edition 1767–1768.

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ^ Bernhard Kossmann: German Universal Lexica of the 18th Century. Their essence and their informational value, illustrated using the example of the works of Jablonski and Zedler. In: Börsenblatt for the German book trade - Frankfurt edition. No. 89, November 5, 1968 (= Archive for the History of Books. Volume 62), pp. 2947–2968, here: p. 2955.
  2. ↑ Preface to Volume 19 and 20 of the Zedler Lexicon, p. 1.
  3. ↑ Jürgen Beyer: Vad är en bra ö? Gotland i ett tyskt köpmannalexikon från 1700-talet. In: Haimdagar 2010, H. 6-7, p. 36f.
personal data
SURNAME Ludovici, Carl Günther
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ludewig, Carl Günther
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German philosopher and economist, lexicographer
DATE OF BIRTH August 7, 1707
PLACE OF BIRTH Leipzig
DATE OF DEATH July 5, 1778
Place of death Leipzig