Joachim Kahl

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Joachim Kahl (born 12 May 1941 in Cologne, Germany) is a German freelance philosopher whose work focuses on the criticism of religion, ethics and aesthetics. His central theme is ‘secular humanism’. Joachim Kahl lives in Marburg. He has been married to special needs teacher Anna Margarete Kahl since 1968. The couple have two children.

File:Joachim Kahl-kopf-klein.jpg
Joachim Kahl

Biography

Kahl received his Dr. theol. (Doctor of Divinity) from Marburg University in 1967 after completing his thesis titled ‘Philosophie und Christologie im Denken Friedrich Gogartens’ (‘Philosophy and Christology in the Thought of Friedrich Gogarten’). Since his critical assessment of the world of Christianity had led him to reject the Christian belief and religion in general he left the Protestant Church shortly afterwards. He became an atheist and described the reasons for his decision in his book ‘Das Elend des Christentums oder Plädoyer für eine Humanität ohne Gott’ (‘The Misery of Christianity or a Plea for Humanity without God’).[1]

His second course of study at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main included Philosophy, Sociology and Politics. His main focus was ‘Critical Theory’ which had been inspired by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud and associated with the so-called ‘Frankfurt School’ (Frankfurter Schule). At this time Kahl became a Marxist. When the ‘orthodox’ Marxist philosopher Hans Heinz Holz was appointed to Marburg University, Kahl returned to Marburg. Following the completion of his second thesis ‘Darstellung, Analyse und Kritik der Weltanschauungskritik Ernst Topitschs’ (‘Portrayal, Analysis and Criticism of Ernst Topitsch’s Criticism of Ideologies’) in 1975 he was awarded Dr. phil. (Doctor of Philosophy).

During his work in Philosophy and Social Sciences at Marburg University between 1974 and 1984 Kahl gave regular seminars on the history of philosophy. At the same time he acted as a speaker for the ‘Marburger Komitee gegen Berufsverbote’ and ‘Hessisches Komitee gegen Berufsverbote’ (Marburger and Hessian Committees against Occupational Bans). In the 1970s and 1980s he also fought against the so-called ‘Radikalenerlass’.[2] He saw these activities as a defence of democracy.

Between 1982 and 1990 Kahl worked as an Education Officer for the ‘Bund für Geistesfreiheit Nürnberg’, a secular and cultural association devoted to the principles of enlightenment and humanism. In this function he developed links with other organisations, namely the ‘Thomas-Dehler-Stiftung’, a liberal educational trust, and the ‘Gesellschaft für kritische Philosophie’, Association for Critical Philosophy. These influences, but particularly global developments from ‘1989’, resulted in Kahl’s turning away from Marxism. Reflections on this decision were published in his book ‘Weltlicher Humanismus. Eine Philosophie für unsere Zeit’ (‘Secular Humanism. A Philosophy for Today’).

Ideas

As an ambassador for classical atheism rooted in the theoretical history of European Enlightenment, Joachim Kahl distances himself from the new atheism represented by people like Richard Dawkins.

Kahl writes: “Richard Dawkins' book 'The God Delusion’ which I use as my main example of the ‘new atheism’ … is a document typical of intellectual ‘imperial insanity’. According to the historian Ludwig Quidde, who coined the term in 1894, imperial insanity includes two interrelating characteristics: a triumphalistic delusion of grandeur and a profound blindness of reality.” The delusion of grandeur consists of Dawkins’ “assumption that he can use his skills as evolutionary biologist to mistreat questions from areas such as religious history, religious philosophy and religious criticism that are quite outside his specialism - giving the impression of a knowledgeable and widely read expert even in these areas ... Dawkins' brash approach... reveals a bottomless ignorance of religion and criticism of religion combined with a fatal misunderstanding of the historical developments and conceptual complexities of these areas.”

Joachim Kahl’s own position is revealed in his writings against ‘new atheism’, when he says that the “vulgar strong words” used by Dawkins and others result in a hidden conversion of atheism into anti-theism berating religion. Kahl argues, “What would really be necessary is to mentally penetrate it, to explain its historical development and its social role and to enter into a critical, even polemic dialogue with its followers. What has been forgotten, no, what is simply no longer known is ... the type of religious criticism practiced during the era of German Enlightenment which was far from being faint-hearted, yet quite delicate ...”[3]

Before distancing himself from Dawkins Joachim Kahl voiced his criticism of Karlheinz Deschner[4] and Michael Schmidt-Salomon.[5] In ethics Kahl is working towards a new positive role for the ‘model of a gentleman’ as a modern humanistic identity for both men and women. In aesthetics he introduces visual and linguistic pieces of art that he enjoys. His motto in this respect is: Paths to Art - Paths to Philosophy - Paths to Ourselves.

Published Work (all work in German unless stated otherwise)

  • Kahl, J., 1967: Philosophie und Christologie im Denken Friedrich Gogartens (Philosophy and Christology in the Thought of Friedrich Gogartens), Dr. theol. Marburg University (unpublished)
  • Kahl, J., 1968, 1993 (revised and extended edition): Das Elend des Christentums oder Plädoyer für eine Humanität ohne Gott. The Misery of Christianity or a Plea for Humanity without God. Translated from German by N. D. Smith, 1971. Harmondsworth: Penguin (German edition: Reinbek: Rowohlt) (Also translated into Japanese, Italian and Dutch)
  • Kahl, J., 1976: Positivismus als Konservatismus - Eine philosophische Studie zu Struktur und Funktion der positivistischen Denkweise am Beispiel Ernst Topitsch (Positivism as Conservatism - A Philosophical Study of the Structure and Function of a Positive Approach Using the Example of Ernst Topitsch). PhD, Marburg University. Cologne: Pahl-Rugenstein
  • Kahl, J., 1977: Warum ich Atheist bin (Why I am an Atheist). In: Karlheinz Deschner, ed. Warum ich Christ / Atheist/ Agnostiker bin (Why I am a Christian / an Atheist / an Agnostic). Cologne: Kiepenheuer und Witsch
  • Kahl, J., ed., 1978: Etty, Peter und Silvia Gingold. Porträt einer Familie. Ein Bilderbuch über deutsche Zustände (Etty, Peter and Silvia Gingold, A Family Portrait. A Picture Book on German Conditions). Cologne: Pahl-Rugenstein
  • Kahl, J. & Wernig, E., eds., 1981: Freidenker. Geschichte und Gegenwart (Freethinkers. History and the Present). Cologne: Pahl-Rugenstein
  • Kahl, J., 1983a: Der Fels des Atheismus. Epikurs und Georg Büchners Kritik an der Theodizee (The Rock of Atheism. Epicurus’ and Georg Büchner’s Criticism of Theodicy). In: Georg Büchner, ed. Georg-Büchner-Jahrbuch 2/1982. Frankfurt/Main: Europäische Verlagsanstalt
  • Kahl, J. & Schütt, P., eds., 1983b: Das andere Weihnachtsbuch (The Alternative Book of Christmas). Dortmund: Weltkreis Verlag
  • Kahl, J., 2006a: Weltlicher Humanismus. Eine Philosophie für unsere Zeit (Secular Humanism. A Philosophy for Today). Münster: LIT-Verlag
  • Kahl, J., 2006b: Deschners Aphorismen. Eine Kritik ihres Menschenbildes sowie ihres Gesellschafts- und Geschichtsverständnisses (Deschner’s Aphorisms. A Criticism of their Image of Man and their Understanding of Society and History). In: ‘Aufklärung ist Ärgernis’… Karlheinz Deschner Leben – Werk – Wirkung (‘Enlightenment is a Nuisance’... Karlheinz Deschner Life – Work – Outcome), Gieselbusch, H. & Schmidt-Salomon, M., eds. Aschaffenburg: Alibri Verlag. (The same volume includes a critical response to Kahl by Gabriele Röwer titled Wo bleibt das Positive, Herr Deschner? Offener Brief an Joachim Kahl (What happened to the Positive, Mr. Deschner? An open letter to Joachim Kahl))
  • Kahl, J. & Schmidt-Salomon, M, 2007: Was heißt Humanismus heute? Ein Streitgespräch zwischen Joachim Kahl und Michael Schmidt-Salomon (What does Humanism mean today? A Debate between Joachim Kahl and Michael Schmidt-Salomon). In: Fink, H., ed. Aschaffenburg: Alibri Verlag
  • Kahl, J., 2009: Weder Gotteswahn noch Atheismuswahn. Eine Kritik des „neuen Atheismus“ aus der Sicht des „alten Atheismus“ (Neither God Delusion nor Atheism Delusion. A Criticism of the ‘New Atheism’ from the Perspective of the ‘Old Atheism’). In: Evangelical Centre for Philosophical Issues, ed. EZW-Texte, No. 204/2009, p. 5-18

Bibliography

  • Groos, H., 1987: Christlicher Glaube und intellektuelles Gewissen. Christentumskritik am Ende des zweiten Jahrtausends (Christian Belief and Intellectual Conscience. Criticism of Christendom at the end of the Second Millennium). Tübingen: J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck) Verlag
  • Groschopp, H., ed., 2005: Atheismus und Humanismus (Atheism and Humanism), issue no. 17 of the journal ‘humanismus aktuell’, Berlin. In this text: various essays on the criticism of Kahl’s book ‘Secular Humanism’, by Frieder Otto Wolf, Peter Schulz-Hageleit and others, including Kahl’s response.
  • Hiorth F., 1995: Atheismus – genau betrachtet. Eine Einführung (Introduction to Atheism). Translated from English by O. Lenz. Neustadt: Angelika Lenz Verlag
  • Lohse, J. M., ed., 1969: Menschlich sein – mit oder ohne Gott? (To be human - with or without God?). Stuttgart Berlin Köln Mainz: Kohlhammer Verlag. In this text: the first response from a theologist to Kahl’s ‘The Misery of Christianity’ including a detailed contribution by Wolfgang Huber, later chair of the council of the Evangelical Church of Germany

External links

Notes and references

  1. ↑ (Kahl., J., 1968)
  2. ↑ (official title: ‘Principles on the Issue of Anti-Constitutional Forces in the Public Service’, an enactment by the heads of governments of the German states from 1972, whereby employment in the public service sector could be banned or terminated if there were doubts whether the person concerned would support the free democratic basic order)
  3. ↑ (Kahl, J., 2009: p. 5f)
  4. ↑ (Kahl, J., 2006b: p. 230f)
  5. ↑ (Kahl, J. & Schmidt-Salomon, M., 2007)
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