Johann Bernhard Merian

Johann Bernhard Merian or Jean-Bernard Mérian (28 September 1723, Liestal – 12 February 1807, Berlin) was a Swiss philosopher active in the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin. He played a significant role in introducing English philosophical thought, particularly David Hume's works, to continental Europe through his translations and commentaries.

Life and career

Merian studied at the University of Basle, gaining his doctorate in 1740. Merian came to Berlin in 1750 as a member of the Berlin Academy, which was then under the presidency of Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis (who had been president since 1746). He was recommended by his Basel compatriot Johann II Bernoulli, who suggested him to Maupertuis as a young, diligent, and not too demanding candidate for the philosophical class of the Academy.

Johann Bernhard