New Ways of Ontology

work by Hartmann

Also known as: “Neue Wege der Ontologie”

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Nicolai Hartmann's New Ways of Ontology (1942) is a significant work in 20th-century German philosophy. Hartmann reversed the Kantian idea that the mind constructs reality, proposing instead that ontology (the study of being) is primary, and epistemology (the study of knowledge) depends on it.1

Hartmann argued that our knowledge of reality is part of reality itself. He distinguished between "subjective categories" of human thought and "objective categories" of reality. Due to limitations and irrational influences, humans can only partially align their understanding with the true nature of reality, leaving much of being unobjectifiable. Hartmann believed that while reality has order, it lacks inherent meaning, placing the burden on humanity to live meaningfully in an indifferent world.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Nicolai Hartmann
…Neue Wege der Ontologie (1942; New Ways of Ontology). According to his new ontology, epistemology depends on ontology, not the opposite. Thus, the “being” of objects is a necessary prerequisite for thought or knowledge about them. The knowledge that people have of reality is itself a part of reality, as…
Read More
…Neue Wege der Ontologie (1942; New Ways of Ontology). According to his new ontology, epistemology depends on ontology, not the opposite. Thus, the “being” of objects is a necessary prerequisite for thought or knowledge about them. The knowledge that people have of reality is itself a part of reality, as…
Read More