All Scholars

Heinrich Gomperz (known as “Harry”), the son of the Viennese classicist and philosopher Theodor Gomperz (1832-1912), was a significant historian of Greek philosophy and of the philosophical schools of his day. Though of Jewish background, his family considered themselves haute-bourgeois Germans who enjoyed the respect of their academic and social community. Heinrich began to study law at the University of Vienna, but was drawn to the work of the agnostic Alfred Berger (1853-1912) and the physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach (1838-1916). Despite his agnosticism, Gomperz was drawn to ecclesiastical history, which led to his study at Berlin under the church historian Adolf von Harnack (1851-1930).  In Vienna, he was part of the Positivist circle but identified himself as a “panthempiricist” who tried to bring historical and philological research to bear on positivism. During the ascendence of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Gomperz took an early interest in psychology, writing a basic introduction, Psychologie des fait fondamentaux de la logique (Leipzig & Vienna: F. Deuticke, 1897). In 1899 he volunteered to have his dreams interpreted by Sigmund Freud, following the appearance of The Interpretation of Dreams in that year, but Freud later said that Gomperz was one of only two men whose dreams he could not analyze.

Gomperz followed his father as an interpreter of Greek philosophy, and learned from him “intellectual thoroughness and honesty that gives serious thought to every argument and never rests satisfied with any reason or any result just because it is convenient and fits into a preconceived pattern,” but parted with him on the notion that Plato was the ultimate source of the utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-73). Heinrich’s great contribution was his two-volume history of Greek philosophy, which was translated into English and other languages. He denied that sophistry was a philosophical school (1912). He is also known for his work on Heraclitus, arguing against the view of the world in flux in favor of minor fluctuations in a unified universe. Gomperz also scolded scholars who come to ancient authors with preconceived modern notions that color their understanding of the texts. In the course of his work, he praises his father for the scientific objectivity of his approach. During their careers, father and son compiled a considerable library that ultimately totaled over 3500 items.

Gomperz enjoyed a prestigious and comfortable career in Vienna, ultimately serving a decade as Ordinarius until the government of Kurt Schuschnigg (1897-1977) compelled him to retire in 1934 at the age of 62 under the guise of a budget cut, but in fact because of his Jewish heritage. He sold or gave away a number of books (his library was seized in 1938 after he had emigrated) and took what he could to America in 1935. Fortunately, Gomperz’s governess had taught him English, so it was easier for him to find a teaching position in America than for many academic refugees. The eminent German-British philosopher F.C.S. Schiller (1864-1937), who after three decades as a tutor at Oxford, had come to the University of Southern California in 1929, and who for much of his career argued Jamesian pragmatism against positivism, managed to secure Gomperz a visiting professorship at USC. In America Gomperz developed his theories of language and cognition, lectured successfully to American students, and in gratitude left his library to the Hoose Library in Philosophy at USC.