Hans Larsson

Hans Larsson (18 February 1862 in Östra Klagstorp, Malmöhus län – 16 February 1944, Lund) was a Swedish Professor of Philosophy at Lund University, Sweden and a Member of the Swedish Academy (1925-1944), chair no. 15. He was known in Sweden as Kloke-Hans ("Clever Hans").

Prof. Larsson was a humanist and an author. He was also a mentor for several Swedish authors and a prominent essayist.

Biography

Prof. Larsson was the son of the farmer Lars Persson and Kersti Nilsdotter, and cousin of author Ola Hansson. After studentexamen in 1881 he began his studies at Lund University. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 1888. In 1893 he received the titles Licentiate of Philosophy, Doctor of Philosophy and Docent in Theoretical Philosophy with a doctoral dissertation entitled Kants transcendentala deduktion af kategorierna ("The transcendental deduction of categories in Kant").

In 1884 he taught at the Folk high school in Kronobergs län. In 1899-1901 he taught at Uppsala Högre Allmänna Läroverk after having gained the docent title of theoretical philosophy at Uppsala University. In 1901 he became a Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at Lund University, a position he remained in until he became an emeritus in 1927. Two years before his retirement he was elected a Member of the Swedish Academy.

In 1905 he married Johanna Pålsson. Prof. Larsson is buried on Norra kyrkogården in Lund.