Ludwig Büchner was a German who wore many hats during his lifetime: philosopher, physician, and scientist [1]. He is best known for his contributions to 19th-century scientific materialism, a philosophy that emphasizes the material world as the only reality [1].
Here are some key points about Büchner:
- Lifespan: Born March 29, 1824, in Darmstadt, Germany, died May 1, 1899, in Darmstadt [1].
- Famous for: Pioneering scientific materialism, a philosophy that explains the world through physical matter [1].
- Brother to: Playwright Georg Büchner [5].
- Work: His book "Force and Matter" (1855) was a major influence in materialism discussions [5]. The controversy surrounding the book even led to him losing his teaching position [5].
- Founded: The German Freethinkers League in 1881, an organization promoting freethought in Germany [3].
