Especially Lotze’s work on psychology and, more broadly, the mind, adjusted widely held philosophical beliefs about consciousness and self to the 'new knowledge’ the sciences of physiology and psychology provided. In this, Lotze was a trend-setter. From his work emerged an account of the mind in which feeling is fundamental and the soul indispensable. The book aims to re-discover Lotze’s insights about these topics and to (re-)introduce Lotze's thought to the contemporary discussion.
Professor Mark Textor, Professor of Philosophy
23 April 2026
Lotze: a 'trend-setter' in the Philosophy of Psychology
Professor Mark Textor, Professor of Philosophy publishes new book.
Hermann Lotze (1817-1881) was the most influential thinker of his time; he revitalised German philosophy after Hegel's death, inspiring American pragmatists as well as British idealists. Professor Mark Textor at the Department of Philosophy has released a new book Lotze's Philosophy of Psychology. Reconceiving the Soul, offering a systematic reconstruction of Lotze's work.
"Why was Lotze once so influential? Samuel Alexander (1859-1938) gave what strikes me as the right answer:
Lotze’s philosophy […] responds, in fact though perhaps not in intention, to the necessity of revising our philosophical beliefs in the light of our new knowledge and methods: its significance is that it is an independent and thoroughgoing attempt to effect the adjustment of old and new. (Samuel Alexander, Review of System of Philosophy Vol. 1 edited by Bosanquet. The Oxford Magazine 2, 1884, 276."
Professor Textor explores Lotze's novel views of attention in detail and aims to shed a new light on the origin of philosophy of psychology and early positions in the philosophy of mind.
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Professor of Philosophy