Der (un)menschliche Wissenschaftler : Jean Pauls "Dr. Katzenbergers Badereise" (1809) und die Frage nach dem Menschen

In his late story "Dr. Katzenbergers Badereise" Jean Paul sketches a figure of a modern scientist who is cynical, rational and possessed by his work. He permanently trenscends various barriers by having particular liking to deviations, anomalies and strange behaviour. The story emerged amidst the fruitful discussion with contemporary scientific disputes and anthropological concepts hence it was recognized by writers (Goethe, Goethe, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Tieck, Platen, J. Grimm) as well as by scietists. Johann Friedrich Meckel, a professor of anatomy, dedicated to Jean Paul his treatise „De duplicitate monstrosa“ where he expressed his appreciation for "Dr. Katzenberger". The paper will examine, in what sense Jean Paul’s text reflects the question of (un)humanity in a human being and the extent to which it contributed to the anthropological knowledge of the period.