Gerardus Heymans (17 April 1857, Ferwert – 18 February 1930, Groningen) was a Dutch philosopher and psychologist. From 1890 to 1927, he worked as a professor of philosophy at the University of Groningen (UG). He also served as rector magnificus (president) of the UG in the academic year 1908–1909. Heymans is one of the most influential philosophers of the Netherlands and the pioneer of Dutch psychology. The establishment of his psychological laboratory marked the start of experimental psychology in the Netherlands.
Life
Heymans was born in Friesland as the son of the municipal secretary Jan Heijmans and his wife Sara Wijsman. He went to the HBS (Hogere Burgerschool, an old form of high school education) in Leeuwarden and then studied law and philosophy at the University of Leiden. In 1880 he obtained his doctorate in political science. After that studied philosophy at the University of Freiburg, where he obtained his doctorate in 1881. In the same year he married Anthonia Barkey in Leiden. He got work as a tutor and then as a private lecturer in philosophy at the University of Leiden.
In 1890 Heymans was appointed professor at the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy at the UG. He went on to teach philosophy and psychology. He and his wife first took up residence on the Stationsstraat in Groningen, where Heymans set up his psychological laboratory in 1892. In 1894 they moved to the villa on the Ubbo Emmiussingel that they had designed by H.P. Berlage. Heymans was Rector Magnificus of the University of Groningen from 1908 to 1909. In his speech, he outlined a future of psychology with great social value. In the following year, in 1910, his wife Anthonia died.
In 1909 Heymans was allocated a large lecture hall and space for his laboratory. His lectures were popular and attracted many students from other studies, professors and other interested parties. At one point Heymans even had to give his lectures twice. Heymans continued to publish books and articles in various fields of philosophy and psychology throughout his academic career. In 1926 he was chairman of the International Congress of Psychology that was then held in Groningen. Heymans retired in 1927. Three years later, he died after his health had deteriorated rapidly.
Heymans maintained many good friendships, including with other professors. He regularly took long walks with J. C. Kapteyn and was good friends with Enno Wiersma, a professor of psychiatry and neurology, with whom he also conducted several studies. In addition, he and his wife often received visitors and guests such as and his wife, whom he had met during his studies in Leiden.
Heymans has also been a member of several associations. From 1900 he, for example, was a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). After the First World War, however, he cancelled his membership because the Academy did not take a neutral stance toward scientists from Germany and Austria. In 1919 Heymans became the first chairman of the Study Association for Psychical Research (SPR). This is the Dutch version of the Society for Psychical Research, which was founded in Great Britain in 1882. A few years later he stopped because there was too little interest in scientific research within the association.
In his time Heymans was famous both in and outside of the Netherlands. He, for example, was offered positions at German universities multiple times. Heymans also received many awards. He became Commander in the Order of Orange Nassau and was an honorary member of The British Psychological Society.
Work
Heymans wrote several books and essays and regularly wrote for De Gids, a literary magazine. Here he wrote on a variety of topics and his dissertation was also included in this.
Philosophy
Heymans wanted to build a philosophical system based on an empirical method. When he was appointed professor, he gave a talk called the experiment in philosophy. According to Heymans, facts should be the starting point for philosophical analyses. He, however, did not think that everything could be derived from experience, such as logical laws. Which makes that Heymans cannot be counted as an empiricist.