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Bernard Bolzano's Life |
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Bernard Bolzano was born on 5 October 1781 in Prague as the fourth of 12 children. His mother was a German-speaking native of Prague, his father a dealer in small wares from Lombardy who had emigrated to Bohemia early in life. From 1796-99 Bolzano studied philosophy, mathematics and physics at the Charles University in Prague, then from 1800-04, against the wish of his father, he studied theology with the intention of becoming a priest. Bolzano's recurring religious doubts were stilled by the view, which he adopted, that a religious doctrine is justified if it can be shown that believing it promises greater moral good than not believing it.
In 1804 Emperor Francis of Austria established special chairs of religion in all universities and higher schools throughout the Empire. These were intended to teach people to become "good Christians and responsible citizens" and counteract ideas emanating from the French Revolution. In 1805 Bolzano was appointed to the new chair at the University in Prague, shortly thereafter taking the cloth and completing his doctorate. The duties of the religious chair included teaching of the doctrines of the catholic religion and delivering every Sunday to all these students an exhortatory sermon. Both were part of a 3 year university programme called "Philosophical Studies". Completing this programme was obligatory for all students of the university, preparatory to their studies in medicine, law or theology. In addition to the course on religion taught by Bolzano, the "Philosophical Studies" included courses in philosophy proper, history, languages, and even mathematics, physics and biology.
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Bolzano pursued these duties conscientiously despite occasional illness until 1819. In this time he published important works on geometry and the foundations of mathematical analysis. His sermons, preached also on public holidays, were meticulously prepared and highly popular, not least because despite the Emperor's intentions they put forward a liberal, tolerant and enlightened point of view. This progressive stance and Bolzano's blunt criticisms of the prescribed textbook brought him to the unwelcome notice of conservatives in church and state, and after several investigations, he was removed from office. This removal came during the period of the strongest conservative reaction to liberalism in Metternichian Austria. Bolzano was forbidden for the rest of his life to teach or preach exhortations. He was not allowed to publish, his post was opened and censored. Later the ban on publication was relaxed to allow the publication of works without political or religious content. Bolzano was also subject to the indignity of a prolonged (1821-5) "trial" within the church. Bolzano defended his views and their compatibility with Catholic doctrine throughout, but he was thereafter forbidden to hear confession, though allowed to continue celebrating mass.
Bolzano's removal from office had the positive effect of giving him the leisure and energy to pursue research, which as a highly conscientious teacher with poor health he would otherwise have been unable to do. From 1823-30 Bolzano went to live every summer in Techobuz at the estate of Josef and Anna Hoffmann, wintering at the house of his brother Johann Bolzano, a merchant. Anna Hoffmann cared especially for Bolzano and took pains to maintain his health. From 1830-41 Bolzano lived permanently with the Hoffmanns in Techobuz. In this period, his Lehrbuch der Religionswissenschaft (4 volumes) was published anonymously by his students, and he produced his most important work, the Wissenschaftslehre (1837), in four volumes. Bolzano also met with his former students Michael Josef Fesl and Franz Příhonský, and through his students many of his works were published abroad.
In 1841 Anna Hoffmann fell ill and the family moved with Bolzano to Prague, where Bolzano once more lived with his brother. The following year Anna died. In 1841 Bolzano took up once more his activity in the Royal Bohemian Society, becoming director of various sections, and in 1842-3 again of the whole Society. The tumultuous events of the 1848 March Revolution in Prague were not long past when Bolzano fell ill with a cold, which attacked his weak lungs. He died on 18 December and was buried three days later in the Wolschan Cemetery in Prague. Bolzano's last great work, a comprehensive account of the philosophy of mathematics called Grössenlehre, remained unfinished at his death. |
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