T. J. de (Tjitze J.) Boer

Born in Wirdum, Friesland, on May 25, 1866, Tjitze Jacobs de Boer became known as a Dutch philosopher, librarian, and specialist in Islamic philosophy. He worked in major library roles, including posts connected with the Fries Museum, the University Library of Groningen, and the Royal Library in The Hague.

De Boer is best remembered for writing on the history of philosophy in the Islamic world. His work helped introduce important thinkers and debates from the medieval Islamic tradition to readers outside that tradition, and he remains associated with early modern scholarship on Islamic philosophy.

In 1906 he was appointed professor of philosophy at the University of Amsterdam, and in 1907 he received what is described as the university's first teaching assignment in psychology. He retired in 1931 and died in The Hague on January 10, 1942.