PHILOSOPHER

Rudolf Otto

1869 - 1937

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Rudolf Otto (25 September 1869 – 7 March 1937) was a German Lutheran theologian, philosopher, and comparative religionist. He is regarded as one of the most influential scholars of religion in the early twentieth century and is best known for his concept of the numinous, a profound emotional experience he argued was at the heart of the world's religions. While his work started in the domain of liberal Christian theology, its main thrust was always apologetical, seeking to defend religion against naturalist critiques, making him a more conservative figure. Otto eventually came to conceive of his work as part of a science of religion, which was divided into the philosophy of religion, the history of religion, and the psychology of religion. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Rudolf Otto is the 345th most popular philosopher (down from 322nd in 2019), the 809th most popular biography from Germany (down from 685th in 2019) and the 46th most popular German Philosopher.

Rudolf Otto is most famous for his theory that religion is a response to the experience of the mysterium tremendum et fascinans, or the awe-inspiring and fascinating mystery.

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Among PHILOSOPHERS

Among philosophers, Rudolf Otto ranks 345 out of 1,267. Before him are John Searle, Johann Georg Hamann, Hunayn ibn Ishaq, Nachmanides, David Strauss, and Louis Couturat. After him are Anne Sullivan, Justus Lipsius, Antonio Negri, Crates of Thebes, Pompeia Plotina, and Aristoxenus.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1869, Rudolf Otto ranks 25. Before him are Hans Spemann, Siegfried Wagner, Calouste Gulbenkian, Karl Seitz, Felix Salten, and Komitas. After him are Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria, Albert Roussel, Gustav Vigeland, Richard Abegg, Pyotr Krasnov, and Emilio Aguinaldo. Among people deceased in 1937, Rudolf Otto ranks 28. Before him are Andrew Mellon, Karol Szymanowski, Jean Harlow, Charles-Marie Widor, Wallace Carothers, and Sergo Ordzhonikidze. After him are Keke Geladze, Frank B. Kellogg, Ramsay MacDonald, Albert Roussel, J. Bruce Ismay, and Emilio Mola.

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In Germany

Among people born in Germany, Rudolf Otto ranks 809 out of 7,253. Before him are Wilhelm Cuno (1876), Princess Louise of Prussia (1838), David Strauss (1808), Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840), Otto I, Duke of Bavaria (1120), and James Last (1929). After him are Georg Jellinek (1851), Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony (1722), Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (1700), Peter Kürten (1883), Hugo Sperrle (1885), and Frederick Augustus III of Saxony (1865).

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Among PHILOSOPHERS In Germany

Among philosophers born in Germany, Rudolf Otto ranks 46. Before him are Hans Jonas (1903), Rudolf Bultmann (1884), Bruno Bauer (1809), Moritz Schlick (1882), Hugh of Saint Victor (1096), and David Strauss (1808). After him are Hermann Cohen (1842), Wilhelm Windelband (1848), Carl Gustav Hempel (1905), Karl Rahner (1904), Moses Hess (1812), and Peter Sloterdijk (1947).

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