Personalism

“Personalism” emerged as a modern philosophical and ethical stance in academic and public debate in the beginning of the twentieth century. Independently from each other, three books were published: in France, Le Personnalisme (1903) by Charles Renouvier; in Germany, Person und Sache (1906) by William Stern; and in the USA, Personalism (1908) by Border Parker Bowne. In each of these philosophical works, there is a strong focus on the uniqueness of the human person and a defense of the person against the mechanisms of depersonalization in society. Personalism stands for a spiritual humanism characterized by a belief that human self-realization has its roots in the deeper sources of the self and not primarily in the ideological, religious, political, or economic systems manipulating and socializing the individual. Only free and responsible persons can engage in joint ventures to make freer and more responsible institutions.