TETENS, J.N. (JOHANN NICOLAI).

Efterretning om Tilstanden af den almindelige Enke=Kasse i Kjøbenhavn ved Slutningen af Aaret 1797, samt almindelige Anmærkninger over Forsikrings=Anstalter i Livs= og Døds= Tilfælde i Almindelighed. Oversat af N. Søndergaard.

Kiøbenhavn, C.G. Prost/ B.K. Horrebow, 1802. Lille 8vo. Smukt samtidigt helldrbd. med rig rygforgyldning, forgyldte borter på permer (gevebindsudstyr). 125,(1) pp. samt 3 store foldetabeller. ren og frisk, trykt på skrivepapir.

Scarce first edition of Teten's work on the "Widow Pension Fund" (Wittwen-Casse), a pension- and insurance institution for which he was director. His work "Einleitung zur Berechnung der Leibrenten und Anwartschaften, published in Leipzig in 1785 a.1786 was a landmark of actuarial science. It is recognized by actuaries for featuring the first risk measure ever (the Risico der Casse). In the offered book he applies his skills in actuarial mathematics.

After his years as professor in Philosophy at the Kiel University,Tetens begun another career as a high ranking Danish civil servant: member of the Finanzcollegium in Copenhagen, then (1791) counselor of state, and (1803) co-director of the state bank and director of the widow pension funds. By this time, he was interested in pure mathematics as well as in applications.

Tetens was professor of Philosophy at the University of Kiel from 1776-89. He was one of the first to discuss David Hume at lenght on the continent (he was called the German Hume). His "Philosophische Versuche über die menschliche Natur und ihre Entwicklung", 1777 exerted a tremendous influence on Kant while he was writing the Critique of Pure Reason, and the many similarities between their doctrines are evident. Tetens's doctrines may be compared to Kant's even in their speculative power and importance.

Bibl. Danica II:773. The book was first published in Danish (the offered item) and a year later , 1803 in German with the title "Nachricht von dem Zustande der allgemeinen Wittwen-Casse zu Copenhagen am Schluss des Jahres 1797, mit einigen Bemerkungen über Versicherungs-Anstalten auf Lebens- und Sterbens-Fälle, und die Art sie zu prüffen."

Order-nr.: 47484