Hans Halvorson Physics, Logic, Philosophy

Poul Martin Møller

While Niels Bohr was quite philosophical, and had an extensive philosophical education, he seems to have lost some respect for (western) philosophers over the course of his life. There are, in fact, no records of Bohr saying positive things about any philosophical tradition – neither rationalism, empiricism, Kantianism, nor positivism. There was only one philosopher whom Bohr cited approvingly and by name: the little-known Danish philosopher, Poul Martin Møller, who wrote next to nothing, and who died in 1838.

Introduction

Poul Martin Møller (1794-1838) is remembered primarily for the people he influenced — most notably Kierkegaard (his student) and Bohr (who frequently cited Møller’s novella, En Dansk Students Eventyr). Møller had many philosophical ideas, but he didn’t publish much published philosophical work. And of Møller’s written work, very little of it has been translated into English.

Møller’s had a fairly typical “middle class” upbringing. He was the son of a parish pastor, went to a fancy high school (Danish: Gymnasium), and then studied theology at the University of Copenhagen. On the personal side, Møller’s life was a bit tumultuous, with at least one very serious infatuation that didn’t lead anywhere. After getting his degree from the University of Copenhagen, Møller became a chaplain on a ship, and while onboard, he translated works of ancient Greek literature into Danish.

Upon returning to Denmark, Møller was called to a post teaching philosophy at the University in Kristiania (now Oslo). Norway had only received independence in 1814, and in the early 1800s, Denmark and Norway had a common academic language. To be more accurate: there were many spoken dialects in Norway, but the written language (bokmål) was Danish.

During his time as professor in Oslo, Møller seems to have fallen under the influence of Hegel. But Møller’s positive interest in Hegel proved to be short-lived. He was offered a professorship at the University of Copenhagen in 1832, and here he joined in with FC Sibbern’s rejection of the Hegelian viewpoint. Recall also that Søren Kierkegaard had entered the University in 1830, and Møller was to become one of his primary influences. (Møller’s residence was in the “new square” (Nytorv), just across from the Kierkegaard residence on the “old square” (Gammeltorv). The Høffding family home was also in Gammeltorv, and a commemorative plaque can still be seen today.)

Møller on Hegel

Language

Works

Møller didn’t publish much in the way of academic philosophy. One notable exception is his article about the possibility of life after death (Jensen and Stewart 2022). He also left behind some lecture notes and aphorisms that have been collected in various places, including the collection called “Strøtanker”.

Møller also wrote poetry and novellas, most notably En Dansk Students Eventyr — the book that Niels Bohr frequently cited.

Primary literature

  • “Tanker over Muligheden af Beviser for Menneskets Udødelighed”, Maanedsskrift for Litteratur. 1837. Arkiv for Dansk Litteratur
    • Translated to English by Jon Stewart
  • Strøtanker
  • Skrifter i Udvalg, ed. Vilhelm Andersen
  • Poul Martin Møller, Udvalgte Værker. Med Forord af Otto Borchsenius. 1912.
  • Poul Martin Møller: En Levnedsskildring med et Udvalg af hans Arbejder.
  • Poul Møller og hans Familie i Breve. Ved Morten Borup. 1976.

Secondary literature

  • K. Kroman i Dansk biografisk Lexikon, C. F. Bricka (red.), Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag, Kbh., 1889, bd. XII, pp. 95–97.
  • Martin Paludan-Müller. Udlængsel og hjemve: Personlighedsopfattelse hos Poul Møller og hans forgængere
  • Ravn, K. (2014). Om et fjernt forarbejde til Poul Martin Møllers “En dansk Students Eventyr”. Fund Og Forskning I Det Kongelige Biblioteks Samlinger, 45, 63. doi:10.7146/fof.v45i0.41184
  • J. Stewart. Poul Martin Møller and the Danish debate about immortality in the wake of Hegel’s philosophy
  • Om Poul Martin Møller 1961

External resources

References

Jensen, Finn Gredal, and Jon Stewart. 2022. Poul Martin møller’s “Thoughts on the Possibility of Proofs of Human Immortality” and Other Texts. Vol. 8. Brill.