Background
Delfgaauw, Bernardus Maria Ignatius was born on November 24, 1912 in Amsterdam.
Delfgaauw, Bernardus Maria Ignatius was born on November 24, 1912 in Amsterdam.
Dutch Philology, Literature and Philosophy. University of Amsterdam. Infis: Personal influences included Dc Bruin, Sassen, Pos and Mounier.
Philosophical influences included Lavelle, Teilhard de Chardin and Marx.
Secondary school teacher, 1939-1961. Lecturer of Philosophy, University of Amsterdam, 1947-1961. Professor of Philosophy and of the History of Philosophy, 1961-1977, Professor of Medieval Philosophy, 1977-1982, University of Groningen.
Main publications:
(1947) Het spiritualistisch existentialisme van Louis Lavelle [The Spiritualistic Existentialism of Louis Lavelle], Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Company
(1950-1952) Beknopte geschiedenis van de wijsbegeerte [Short History of Philosophy], 3 vols, Baarn: Wereldvenster.
(1961-1964) Geschiedenis en Vooruitgang [History and Progress], Baarn: Wereldvenster.
(1984-1987) Filosofie van de grammatica [Philosophy of Grammar], 3 vols, Bussum: Wereldvenster. Filosofie van de vervreemding [Philosophy of Alienation] 4 vols. Kampen, Kok-Agora.
Secondary literature:
Bakker, R„ Hubbeling. H. G. etal. (1982) De filosofie van Bernard Delfgaauw, Bussum: Het Wereldvenster.
Boelens. J. (1992) Filosoferen met Bernard Delfgaauw, Kampen: Kok-Agora.
The aim of Delfgaauw’s philosophy is to treat the problems of everyday life. He thinks it desirable and possible to do so in ordinary language. He gives a realistic approach to the world we live in and opposes radically idealism and nco-positivism.
Idealism in a Kantian sense cannot approach the world because the concept of ‘phenomenon’ is shoved between the knowing subject and the known world. Neopositivism does not consider the problems of human life, but occupies itself only with science and loses grip on reality. As a Roman Catholic philosopher Delfgaauw was very progressive in propagating socialist and Marxist ideas and by taking a left standpoint on such matters as the Algerian and Vietnam wars.