1978: as professor of Philosophy at the University of Hamburg

• Born in Finland (Pori-Björneborg) 30.9.1934. Studies of Philosophy, Classic and Modern Literature, Art History and Theory of Art at the Finnish University of Turku (University of Turku) and the Swedish University of Turku (Åbo Akademi). - Master of Art 1959, Doctor of Philosophy 1969,

Important posts and positions held

• Docent of Theoretical Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, University of Turku 1970-79; docent of Legal Philosophy, Faculty of Law, University of Turku 1979-1999
  
• Full time lecturer of Theoretical Philosophy 1960-1970 University of Turku, acting professor and director of the Philosophical Department of the University of Turku 1970-72
  
• Senior research fellow of the Academy of Finland 1972-1977 and 1979-1980.
  
• Ordinary Professor of Philosophy at the University of Hamburg 1978-79.
  
• Acting professor of philosophy and director of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Jyväskylä 1981-82.
  
• Art director, graphic designer and managing director of Clarion Publishing Company Ltd and Scholarprint Press Ltd 1982-84.
  
• Returned to academic career as Professor of Art and Design Education 1984; Professor and head of the Department of Art Education at the University of Jyväskylä from 1984 untill retirement 1998.

1985: professor of Art and Design Education giving his inaugural lecture
Knowledge-based Art Education at the University of Jyväskylä

Positions of responsibility held

• Chairman of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research from 1972 onwards. Member of the Leibniz-Gesellschaft and Kardinal Nicolaus Cusanus Gesellschaft.
• Member of the Research Council of Humanities, Academy of Finland 1986-1992.

Supervised doctoral theses:

• Veli Verronen: The Growth of Knowledge. An Inquiry into the Kuhnian Theory. Jyväskylä 1986;
• Anna Louhivuori: Myytit kuvina. Marc Chagallin ensimmäisen pariisinkauden struturalistis-semioottuista tulkintaa. Jyväskylä 1988
• Juhani Aaltola: Merkitys opettamisen ja oppimisen näkökulmasta Wittgensteinin ja pragmatismin valossa. Jyväskylä 1989
• Jarmo Valkola: Perceiving the Visual in Cinema. Jyväskylä 1993
• Minna Uotila: Pukeutumisen kuva. Fenomenologis-eksistentialistinen lähestyminen pukeutumiskuvien tekemiseen ja tulkintaan. Helsinki 1994

1972: Differences of Opinion. Routila discussing with professor Alfred Ayer

General characterizations

• Lectured since 1966 at numerous universities and scholarly societies, especially at the University of Sorbonne, Paris, at King's College University of London, University of Vienna, University of Rome, Universities of Tübingen, Frankfrut am Main, Bonn, Mainz, Heidelberg, Kiel and Hamburg.
  
• Influenced by Husserl, Heidegger, Cassirer and Gadamer Routila has tried to develop a phenomenological philosophy of production (poiesis) in which the human Lebenswelt is seen as a three-level projection built on beliefs and theories, ways of doing things (praksis) and creative design (poiesis).
  
• Routila's bibliography reflects his early interest in the history of philosophical thinking, which later turns into a theory of humanities, especially into a philosophy of history and aesthetics. Since 1984 he has developed together with his wife Dr. Sirkkaliisa Usvamaa-Routila a theory of design of which only a part has been published untill now.
  
  Dr Sirkkaliisa Usvamaa-Routila teaching in the newly founded Laboratory of
  Experimental Typography at the University of Jyväskylä in 1990.

• As professor of Art and Design Education Routila teached at the University of Jyvaskylä fifteen years visual arts, Computer-Aided Design, interactive multimedia and computer animation. In 1990 he co-founded in the Department of Art Education the widly recognized Laboratory for Experimental Typography. His teaching method is a subtle combination of phenomenological research and instruction with emphasis on hands on practices and good training.
  
  1993: As Director of the Department of Art Education Routila preferred professionalism as
  the main purpose of university studies

• The major part of Routila's philosophical work is unpublished, but partly known in international circles of people sharing an interest in modern forms of phenomenology. A collection of his lectures will be published in september 2004 in two volumes of Reflexions and Projections - Philosophical Studies.

1998: Routila lives in retirement in Jyvaskyla and continues his philosophical work.

• Hobbies: horsemanship and offshore sailing

written by Usma Sirola, PhD.
secretary of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomeneological Research / 12.12.2002

Bibliography:

Über die beiden Fassungen der Kategorienlehre des Aristoteles. In: Ajatus XXIX, Helsinki, 1967, pp. 62-78

Zur Überwindung der 'klassischen' Modalbegriffe bei Leibniz. In: Studia Leibnitiana Suppl. I: Metaphysik und Monadenlehre, Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden 1968, pp. 241-252

Die aristotelische Idee der Ersten Philosophie. Untersuchungen zur onto-theologischen Verfassung der Metaphysik des Aristoteles. Acta Philosophica Fennica XXIII, North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1969, 186 pp.

Agrapha Dogmata - Katsaus Platonin esoteeriseen filosofiaan ja sen tutkimuksen nykyvaiheeseen (On Plato's Unwritten Philosophy). In: Ajatus XXXI, Helsinki, 1970, pp. 1-31

Husserl ja Heidegger (Husserl and Heidegger) In: Jaakko Hintikka ja Lauri Routila (eds) Filosofian tila ja tulevaisuus, Weilin+Göös, Helsinki, 1970, pp. 77-96

Filosofian tila ja tulevaisuus (Philosophy to-day and to-morrow) Weilin+Göös 1970,

Über Zeichen, Sinn und Wahrheit. Annales Universitatis Turkuensis B 117, Turku 1971 64 pp.

Zeichen, Sinn und Wahrheit. Studia Philosophica turkuensia I. Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research.Turku, 1972, 64 pp.

L'Idea Aristotelica della Philosophia Prima. Rivista di Filosofia 99 Torino 1971, pp. 363-367

on hee on und die Fragestellung in Gamma und Kappa der Metaphysik des Aristoteles. In: Akten des XIV Internationalen Kongresses für Philosophie Bd VI, Wien 1971, pp 500-507

Hermeneuttinen tieteenfilosofia. (Hermeneutics as a research method) Reports from the Department of Philosophy, University of Turku 1971, No. I, 41 pp.

Johdatusta hermeneuttiseen tieteenfilosofiaan. (An introduction to the hermeneutics) Opuscula Philosophica Turkuensia I. Turku 1972. 64 pp.

Ch. S. Peircen pragmatismista. (The Pragmatisism of Ch.S.Peirce) Reports from the Department of Philosophy, University of Turku 1971, No. 2, 42 pp.

Die Aristotelische Zeitdefinition. In: Platonselskabet. Konferencen i Köbenhavn 1972. pp 151-170

Der Kopenhagener Vortrag über die Aristotelische Zeitdefinition. Opuscula philosophica Turkuensia III Occasional Paper Series of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku 1972, 110 p.

Leibniz 1646-1716. A survey of the Revue internationale de Philosophie vol 76-77 In: Studia Leibnitiana IV, Wiesbaden 1972. pp 69-74

Taide, kieli ja taiteen kieli (Art, Language and the Language of Art) In: A. Kinnunen ja M. Envall: Estetiikan kenttä. WSOY, Helsinki pp. 151-170

Filosofian edellytykset ja tavoitteet Suomessa. Helsingin yliopiston filosofian laitoksen julkaisuja 1973, pp 13-27

Hegelin dialektisesta logiikasta (On Hegel's Diaslectical Logic). Opuscula philosophica turkuensia IV. Occasional Paper Series of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku, 1974, pp. 1-17

Leroy Loemker's Leibniz' Philosophical Papers and Letters. In Studia Leibnitiana IV 1974, pp 281-282

Zum Problem der philosophischen Geschichte der Philosophie. Ajatus XXXV, Helsinki, 1974, pp. 21-48

Pieni johdatus Nietschen kulttuurifilosofiaan. (A short introduction to the Cultural Philosophy of Nietzsche) Opuscula Philosophica Turkuensia V. Occasional Paper Series of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku, 1975, pp. 1-27

Wahrnehmung und Interpretation. Ajatus XXXVI, Helsinki, 1976, pp. 125-141

Physis und Logos. Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie 59, Bonn, 1977, pp.91-94

Uusplatonisesta taiteen filosofiasta. (On the neoplatonic Philosophy of Art) In: Aarne Kinnunen ja Teivas Oksala (eds), Antiikin estetiikka. WSOY Helsinki 1977, pp. 149-183

Meaning and the Concrete Thing - A Prolegomenon to an Ontology of works of art. Opuscula Philosophica Turkuensia VII. Occasional Paper Series of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku, 1977 48 pp.

La definition aristotelicienne du temps. In: Cahiers de Centre de Recherches sur la pensée antique. Universite de Sorbonne, Paris 1976 pp. 1-18

Über den Sinn des gotischen Kirchenraums -- Untersuchungen über den Einfluß des Aristotelismus auf den Zeichencharakter des frühgotischen Rauminneren. Forschungsmanuskripte der Finnischen Gesellschaft für Phänomenologie VI. Turku, 1978. 128 pp.

Prolegomena zu einer Ästhetik, die als Wissenschaft wird auftretren können. Ein Beitrag zur Philosophie der Kunst. Philosophisches Seminar der Universität Hamburg. 1978 48 pp.

Miten teen taiteesta tiedettä (How to study art). Opuscula philosophica turkuensia XI. Occasional Paper Series of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku 1978 42 pp.

Wahrheit und Geschichtlichkeit. Hamburger Vorlesungen zur Einführung in die Philosophie. Philosophisches Seminar der Universität Hamburg, 1978. 128 pp.

La definition aristotelicienne du temps. In: Pierre Aubenque (ed) Concepts et categories dans la pensée antique. Librairie philosophique, J. Vrin, Paris 1980, pp. 245-262

Teleologie und das Problem der historischen Erklärungen - ein phänomenologischer Entwurf. In: Bernhard Waldenfels, Jan M. Broekman, Ante Pazanin, Erkenntnis- und Wissenschaftstheorie. Suhrkamp Verlag. Frankfurt am Main 1979, pp. 169-196. A Japanese translation appeared in Tokyo 1982 in a two volume collection of European philosophy. Orion Press Tokyo pp. 316-354

Uuden ajan tieteellinen kumous -- Katsaus instrumentalismin syntyvaiheisiin (Instrumentalism in the Modern Science. Opuscula Philosophica Turkuensia XIII. Occasional Paper Series of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku, 1981. 30 pp.

Historiallisen selityksen teoriasta. (A Theory of Historical Explanation) Occasional Paper Series of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku, 1981. 62 pp.

Reflexion und Projektion. Opuscula philosophica turkuensia XVIII. scholarprint editions, Turku, 1982. 98 pp.

Refleksio ja projektio. Opuscula philosophica turkuensia XVII. scholarprint editions, Turku, 1982. 92 pp.

Uuden ajan tieteellinen kumous -- Katsaus instrumentalismin syntyvaiheisiin (Instrumentalism in the Modern Science. Occasional Paper Series of the Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Clarion Opuscula Turku, 1983. 30pp.

The Metaphysics of Art Revisited. scholarprint editions. Turku, 1984, 84 pp.

Taidekasvatuksen tieteenala. (The Academic Discipline of Art Education) Clarion, Keuruu, 1985 46 pp.

Spielraum der Möglichkeiten. Aus dem philosophischen Tagebuch 1982-84 herausgegeben von Sirkkaliisa Usvamaa-Routila. scholarprint editions. Turku, 1985, 128 pp.

Miten teen tiedettä taiteesta. Johdatusta taiteentutkimukseen ja taiteen teoriaan (How to study works of art. An introduction to a philosophy of art). Clarion, Keuruu, 1986. 112 pp

Johdatusta taidekasvatukseen (An Introduction to Art Education). Textbooks from the Department of Art Education, University of Jyväskylä 1991. 48 pp., second edition 1993, third edition 1994

Taidekasvatuksen perusteet. (Foundations of Art Education) Textbooks from the Department of Art Education, University of Jyväskylä 1995. 92 pp., second edition 1996

Nykylogiikkaa taidekasvatuksen opiskelijalle. Tutkielma merkityksen olioistumisesta (Modern Logic to the Students of Modern Art. A Study on Symbols) Textbooks from the Department of Art Education, University of Jyväskylä 1993. 48 pp., second edition 1997,

A Theory of Art for Art Education. Textbooks from the Department of Art Education, University of Jyväskylä, 1995. 64 pp., second edition 1997,

Studies in the Metaphysics of Art. Studia philosophica Fennica II. Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku, 1999, 126 pp.

Philosophie der Poiesis. Vorträge und Aufsätze 1959-1999. Finnische Gesellschaft für Philosophie und Phänomenologische Forschung, Turku 2004, 286 pp.

Reflections and Projections - Philosophical Studies. Studia philosophica Fennica IV. Finnish Society for Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Turku (forthcoming c. 2005)