After over four decades of dedicated teaching, Prof. Godehard Brüntrup SJ has retired from his role at the Hochschule für Philosophie München (Munich School of Philosophy). His farewell lecture, intriguingly titled “Thank God That’s Over! – Time and the Experience of Time as a Metaphysical Problem”, might suggest he’s leaving with a smile. However, for Prof. Brüntrup, this departure carries mixed emotions — both joy and melancholy.

In an exclusive interview, he explains the deeper philosophical meaning behind his lecture title and what this farewell truly signifies for him.

“Thank God That’s Over!” – Time and Time Experience as a Metaphysical Problem

Prof. Brüntrup’s farewell lecture is available to watch on YouTube.

When asked if his time as a professor really was that difficult, he clarifies: “The title does not refer to my time at the school. It’s a reference to a historically influential philosophical text on the nature of time, originally titled ‘Thank Goodness That’s Over!’ The lecture’s subtitle is ‘Thoughts on a Metaphysical Theory of Time.’”

What Is Metaphysics?

Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that investigates the fundamental structures of reality and the place of humans within it. Questions such as “Does the soul exist?”, “Is free will real or are we just cogs in a cosmic machine?”, and “Does God exist?” all belong to metaphysics.

Why Is Time Also a Metaphysical Problem?

Because time is not just the external measure of movement we see on a clock, but also the internal experience of presence, passing, and becoming. Physics cannot fully explain this subjective experience of time since consciousness lies outside its scope. Hence, time is a problem not only for physics but also for metaphysics.

Over 40 Years as a Philosophy Professor — What Will You Miss Most?

“My students, first and foremost,” Prof. Brüntrup answers. “Over 40 years, I have had many, and I maintain lasting relationships with many of them beyond their studies. This connection will continue. Also, I will still teach in Germany and the US, but less frequently.”

And What Will You Not Miss?

“Every profession has its less pleasant aspects,” he admits. “For a university professor, that includes administrative and committee work — necessary but often tedious and draining. The increasing pressure of deadlines in recent years has also been detrimental to truly creative philosophical work. I can gladly do without that. University politics can also be exhausting and conflict-ridden, whereas philosophical thinking thrives best in quiet solitude. Like the philosopher Diogenes, who famously lived in a barrel, philosophers prefer a certain seclusion.”

Do We Need More Philosophy in Society?

“Not more, but better philosophy,” he says. “There is plenty of poor and ideological philosophy giving cheap answers to complex questions. What we need is good philosophy: critique of ideology, false abstractions, and simplistic solutions. Above all, we need more metaphysics, because only a well-thought-out picture of the whole can truly provide human orientation.”

The Philosophical Meaning Behind “Thank God That’s Over!”

Prof. Brüntrup’s lecture critiques a widespread notion influenced by Einstein’s theory of relativity — the idea that past, present, and future are equally real. This view implies that nothing is ever truly over. Even terrible events would still exist somewhere in time; a time traveler could visit Auschwitz in 1944 because it “still exists.”

Prof. Brüntrup challenges this, defending the more common worldview that the past is truly over and the future does not yet exist. Although this is our normal perspective, physics seems to suggest otherwise. His lecture offers a philosophical defense of this traditional view, which is more difficult than it might appear.

What Is the Underlying Philosophical Concept?

His concept blends historical ideas from Leibniz and Whitehead with contemporary philosophy of mind. It holds that the world consists of present events, informed by the past, realizing a future that currently exists only as potential. The world is not a static block but a dynamic flow of becoming — everything flows, as Heraclitus famously said.

What’s Next After Your Farewell to the HFPH?

“I am moving from obligation to opportunity,” he explains. “I will continue teaching and researching on both sides of the Atlantic. But now, I can set my own priorities without fixed curricula or teaching hours. This brings more freedom, but certainly not a farewell to science.”

Prof. Godehard Brüntrup’s philosophical journey continues, embracing the flow of change while reflecting deeply on time, existence, and the human experience.