Editing Moritz Lazarus (section)

== Philosophy ==
The fundamental principle of his philosophy was that truth must be sought not in [[metaphysics|metaphysical]] or ''[[A priori and a posteriori|a priori]]'' abstractions but in psychological investigation, and further that this investigation cannot confine itself successfully to the individual [[consciousness]], but must be devoted primarily to [[society]] as a whole. The psychologist must study mankind from the historical or comparative standpoint, analysing the elements which constitute the fabric of society, with its customs, its conventions and the main tendencies of its evolution.

This ''Völkerpsychologie'' (folk or [[comparative psychology]]) is one of the chief developments of the [[Herbartian theory]] of philosophy; it is a protest not only against the so-called scientific standpoint of [[natural philosophy|natural philosophers]], but also against the individualism of the [[positivist]]s.

In support of his theory he founded, in combination with [[Heymann Steinthal]], the ''Zeitschrift für Völkerpsychologie und Sprachwissenschaft'' (1859). His own contributions to this periodical were numerous and important. His chief work was ''Das Leben der Seele'' (Berlin, 1855–1857; 3rd ed., 1883). Other philosophical works were: ''Ueber den Ursprung der Sitten'' (1860 and 1867), ''Ueber die Ideen in der Geschichte'' (1865 and 1872); ''Zur Lehre von den Sinnestäuschungen'' (1867); ''Ideale Fragen'' (1875 and 1885), ''Erziehung und Geschichte'' (1881); ''Unser Standpunkt'' (1881); ''Ueber die Reize des Spiels'' (1883).

Apart from the great interest of his philosophical work, Lazarus was pre-eminent among the Jews of the so-called Semitic denomination in Germany. Like [[Heinrich Heine|Heine]], [[Berthold Auerbach|Auerbach]] and Steinthal, he rose superior to the narrower ideals of the German Jews, and took a leading place in German literature and thought. He protested against the violent [[antisemitism]] of the time, and, in spite of the moderate tone of his publications, drew upon himself unqualified censure. He wrote in this connection a number of articles collected in 1887 under the title ''Treu und Frei: Reden und Vorträge über Juden und Judenthum''. In 1869 and 1871 he was president of the first and second Jewish [[synod]]s at [[Leipzig]] and [[Augsburg]].