Nohl, Hermann

Born Oct. 7, 1879, in Berlin; died Sept. 27, 1960, in Göttingen. German philosopher and theorist of pedagogy. Professor of pedagogy at the universities of Jena (from 1919) and Göttingen (from 1920).

Nohl interpreted aesthetic and ethical problems in the spirit of W. Dilthey’s philosophy of life, which regards emotional experience as the basis for one’s world view (types of world view also determine the types of artistic expression). In his study of problems of social pedagogy, Nohl emphasized the extent to which education was determined by world view and historical background. He called for greater educational opportunities for women.

Nohl exerted a significant influence on the development of pedagogy in the Federal Republic of Germany. He edited a pedagogical encyclopedia in five volumes (Handbuch der Pädagogik, vols. 1–5, 1928–33; with L. Pallat) and Hegel’s early manuscripts (Hegels theologische Jugendschriften, 1908).