Johan Robeck
Swedish-German philosopher known for his theological essay defending suicide
About Johan Robeck
Lived 1672 – 1735 (aged 62–63). Johan Robeck was a philosopher, writer and catholic theologian.
Johan Robeck (1672–1735) (Robeck's date of death is variously reported as 1729, and Voltaire, especially after he himself committed suicide by drowning in the river Weser near Bremen, Germany.)
According to Robeck's argument, anyone may destroy a gift, the giver having given up any rights in it; therefore, as life is a gift from God, suicide cannot offend against God.
In Voltaire's Candide Robeck's suicide is referenced in the old woman's story at the end of chapter XII in Voltaire's 1759 novel Candide: "...I have met only twelve who have voluntarily put an end to their misery — three negroes, four Englishmen, four Swiss, and a German professor called Robeck."
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Johan Robeck's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Johan Robeck?
Swedish-German philosopher known for his theological essay defending suicide
When was Johan Robeck born?
Johan Robeck was born on 16 September 1672 in Kalmar.
When did Johan Robeck die?
Johan Robeck died in 1735 in Bremen.
What was Johan Robeck's occupation?
Johan Robeck was a philosopher, writer and catholic theologian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johan Robeck. https://biography.guide/johan-robeck/
MLA: "Johan Robeck." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johan-robeck/.
Chicago: "Johan Robeck." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johan-robeck/.
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