Johan Robeck

Swedish-German Catholic philosopher known for his theological defence of suicide From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Johan Robeck[a] (1672–1735)[b] was a Swedish-German Catholic theologian and philosopher who wrote an essay in defense of suicide, and later drowned himself in the river Weser.

Life

Robeck was born in Kalmar, Sweden, and raised in the reformed religion. He studied in Uppsala, before going to Hildesheim in Germany, where he converted to Catholicism in 1704. He joined the Jesuits and lived in Rinteln, Westphalia.

He wrote an essay justifying suicide from a theological point of view, titled Exercitatio philosophica de morte voluntaria (A philosophical exercise concerning voluntary death),[c] which was published posthumously (Marburg, 1736) by Johann Nicolaus Funck [fr; de].[3] His book started a debate among Europeans of his time, which included Rousseau[5] and Voltaire, especially after he himself committed suicide by drowning in the river Weser near Bremen, Germany.

According to Robeck's argument, anyone may destroy a gift, the giver having given up any rights in it; therefore, as life is a gift from God, suicide cannot offend against God.[citation needed]

In Voltaire's Candide

Robeck's suicide is referenced in the old woman's story at the end of chapter XII in Voltaire's 1759 novel Candide: "...I have met only twelve who have voluntarily put an end to their misery — three negroes, four Englishmen, four Swiss, and a German professor called Robeck."[6]

Notes

  1. [a]
    Robeck's first name may be variously spelled as "Johann," "Jean," "Johannis," or "Johannes."
  2. [b]
    Robeck's date of death is variously reported as 1729,[1] 1735,[2][3] or 1739.[4]
  3. [c]
    Exercitatio philosophica de εύλόγῳ ἐξαγωγῇ sive morte voluntaria philosophorum et bonorum virorum, etiam Judaeorum et Christianorum.[3]

References

Sources

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