Susanne Langer

Date of Birth: December 20, 1895

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: July 17, 1985

Biography

Susanne Katherina Langer was an influential American philosopher, renowned for her work in the fields of philosophy of mind, aesthetics, and symbolic logic. Born in New York City, Langer was a trailblazer in the exploration of human consciousness and the arts. Langer earned her Bachelor’s degree from Radcliffe College in 1920 and went on to complete her Ph.D. in philosophy at Harvard University in 1926. Her magnum opus, “Philosophy in a New Key,” published in 1942, brought her widespread recognition. In this work, she delved into the symbolic nature of human thought and artistic expression, arguing that art is a form of symbolic communication akin to language. Throughout her career, Langer held various academic positions, including teaching at Radcliffe College, Wellesley College, Smith College, and the New School for Social Research. She later became a full professor at Connecticut College, where she continued her prolific writing and research.

5 Interesting Facts about Susanne Langer

1. Langer’s “Philosophy in a New Key” is considered one of the most significant works in 20th-century philosophy and has been translated into multiple languages.

2. She was one of the first women to achieve a full professorship in philosophy in the United States.

3. Langer’s work bridged the gap between analytic philosophy and existentialism, making her a unique figure in her field.

4. Her later work, a three-volume series titled “Mind: An Essay on Human Feeling,” aimed to develop a comprehensive theory of mind and feeling.

5. She was a skilled musician and often used musical metaphors to explain her theories on art and symbolism.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Susanne Langer

1. “Art is the creation of forms symbolic of human feeling.”

2. “The imagination is not a state: it is the human existence itself.”

3. “A work of art is an expressive form created for our perception through sense or imagination, and what it expresses is human feeling.”

4. “Language is, as the philosophers say, the house of being.”

5. “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

While exact figures are not available, Susanne Langer’s net worth was modest, as she devoted much of her life to academia and philosophical research rather than commercial pursuits.