Johann Martin Chladenius

Johann Martin Chladni (Latinized Chladenius; Lutherstadt Wittenberg, 17 April 1710 – Erlangen, 10 September 1759) was a German philosopher, theologian, and historian, who is seen[1] as one of the founders of Hermeneutics.

He attended the Casimirianum Gymnasium in Coburg and enrolled in 1731, at the Wittenberg University, where he received his master's degree in philosophy, and taught after his studies.

Although he was not originally trained as a historian, he nevertheless made a name for himself with his philosophically sound and pragmatic didactic theory of history.

As a theologian, he orientated himself towards Lutheran orthodoxy, which he sought to combine with the rationalism of Christian Wolff and empiricism.

With this interpretative approach, Chladni is regarded as one of the first methodologists of hermeneutics and modern historical research.