‘Synthese! Geef ons synthese!’ H.J. Jordan en het intellectuele debat tijdens het interbellum

Abstract

The quest for synthesis. H.J. Jordan and the intellectual debate of the interwar years During the interwar period many Dutch scientist were interested in a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, politics and the future of human society. They were true 'intellectuals' in the sense that they felt responsible to speak out on subjects outside their own specialisation. One of the central problems of the period was the quest for a 'new synthesis' that would unify scientific knowledge with modern thought on religion, human consciousness, ethics and the organisation of society. In this article one of those scientists is described in detail: the biologist H.J. Jordan (1877-1942). Starting from his view on the foundations of scientific knowledge, he expanded his philosophy to include questions concerning education and world peace. His holistic view of biology became the foundation for his interest in the educational ideas of Maria Montessori. As a biologist, Jordan was an important scientist. As a philosopher, Jordan was an amateur. That, and the way he used science as a starting point to construct his own 'synthesis', is exactly what makes him a typical example of a scientist form the interwar period.