Juozas Girnius

Juozas Girnius (1915-1994) was a Lithuanian philosopher, existentialist.

Life and thought

Born in the Lithuanian village Sudeikiai, 1932 he started to study philosophy in Vytautas Magnus university in Kaunas. He became interested in existentialism and for his graduation theses chose the subject “The basic tenets of Heidegger's existential philosophy". The thesis gave him an opportunity to study in European universities. During 1941 - 1943 he was a lecturer in Vytautas Magnus university. His academic career was interrupted by the Soviet occupation. He left his country and spent his life in exile. In 1951 at Montreal university (Canada) he defended doctor theses entitled “Liberty and Being. Existential metaphysics of Karl Jaspers". Later he devoted himself to Lithuanian cultural and public activity. He died in Boston (USA), 1994.

His philosophy was permeated by existentialism, Catholicism and Lithuanian nationalism. He called his own philosophy as theistic existentialism. He was attracted by the eternal questions.