Here's a summarized translation of the provided Wikipedia article on Hans Jonas:
Paragraph 1: Early Life, Education, and Flight from Germany
Hans Jonas (1903-1993) was a German-born American Jewish philosopher, notable for his work in bioethics, environmental ethics, and the study of Gnosticism. Born in Mönchengladbach, Germany, he pursued studies in philosophy and theology, earning his doctorate from the University of Marburg under the supervision of Martin Heidegger, with a dissertation focused on Gnosticism. His academic circle included prominent figures like Edmund Husserl, Rudolf Bultmann, and Hannah Arendt, with whom he maintained a lifelong friendship. Disturbed by Heidegger's affiliation with the Nazi Party, and as an active Zionist, Jonas left Germany in 1933, first for England and then Palestine.
Paragraph 2: Wartime Service and Post-War Life
In 1940, Jonas joined the British Army's special brigade for German Jews fighting against Hitler, seeing action in Italy and Germany. He fulfilled a personal vow to return to Germany only as a soldier in a victorious army. During the war, he wrote extensively on the philosophy of biology, laying the groundwork for his future publications. After the war, upon learning of his mother's death at Auschwitz, he resolved not to live in Germany again. He participated in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, taught briefly at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and then emigrated to North America, initially to Canada and finally to the United States.
Paragraph 3: Academic Career and Key Philosophical Contributions
Jonas held the Alvin Johnson Professorship of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York City from 1955 to 1976, also holding a fellowship at the Hastings Center. His philosophical work is often divided into three interconnected areas: Gnosticism, philosophical biology, and ethics. His book The Gnostic Religion (1958) became a standard text on the subject, interpreting Gnosticism through an existentialist lens. The Phenomenon of Life (1966) explored the connection between mind and matter, offering an existential understanding of biology and arguing for a human nature that is both material and moral. This made a base for the school of bioethics in America.
Paragraph 4: The Imperative of Responsibility and Ethical Concerns
Jonas's most influential work, The Imperative of Responsibility (1979, English translation 1984), addressed the ethical and social challenges posed by technology. He argued for a new moral imperative: "Act so that the effects of your action are compatible with the permanence of genuine human life." This work significantly influenced the environmental movement, particularly in Germany. Jonas was also a strong voice in bioethical debates, expressing concerns about abortion, emphasizing the "social responsibility" towards pregnant mothers, and arguing against making it solely a matter of individual choice.
Paragraph 5: Legacy and Influence
Jonas's work has had a lasting impact on various fields, including bioethics, environmental ethics, and the study of religion. He is considered a pioneer in addressing the ethical implications of technology and biological science. Philosophers like Murray Bookchin and Leon Kass cited Jonas as a major influence. His existentialist interpretation of Gnosticism, his synthesis of mind and matter in understanding biology, and his call for a future-oriented ethics centered on responsibility have secured his place as a significant 20th-century thinker. He died in New Rochelle, New York, in 1993 at the age of 89.