Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Philosophy as a family business

A few years back I had a conversation with some friends where we tried to name philosophers who were also children of philosophers. The conversation has stuck with me mostly because I would be tickled if either Caroline or Joey went into academic philosophy, even though I know that it is an impossible business. More bluntly: I generally advise students not to go to philosophy grad school, but I would be thrilled if two of the most important people in my life did it.

In any case, this is all I can remember of the list. I'm certain that once you start going back into ancient philosophy, this sort of thing will be more common, but this is all I can think of.

Elizabeth Harman and Gilbert Harman

Penelope Mackie and J.L. Mackie

Roy Wood Sellars and Wilfrid Sellars

Thomas Nagel and Ernst Nagel (? actually this doesn't seem to be likely)(because its not true)

James Mill and John Stuart Mill

24 comments:

Evelyn Brister said...

David Sosa, son of Ernest
Rebecca Kukla, daughter of André
Paul Audi, son of Robert

Rob Helpy-Chalk said...

Aha! I knew there were more.

Anonymous said...

Hilary Bok and Sissela Bok.

Rob Helpy-Chalk said...

The Hilary Bok's lineage makes me feel small and insignificant.

Anonymous said...

Oh so very much indeed. Her parents' accomplishments ought to be enough. Both maternal grandparents having Nobels is just gratuitous.

Unknown said...

"Thomas Nagel and Ernst Nagel (? actually this doesn't seem to be likely)."

It's not true.

Gil

Anonymous said...

PF Strawson and Galen Strawson

There's also JL Mackie's son (David?) as well as Penelope.

oudemia said...

Well, philosophy prof. Catherine Zuckert is the mother of philosophy prof. Rachel Zuckert.

Also, does David Foster Wallace count? He almost ought to. In any event, his dad is a phil. prof. at UIUC.

Anonymous said...

Rich Hall is a philosopher who was at Mich. State (I think) before he retired--he lives here in Hiram now and his father was a philosopher at U. of Iowa with Gustav Bergmann and somewhere else. There's a history of analytic philosophy website somewhere that had a piece on Prof. Hall pere.

Anonymous said...

E.W. Hall = pere

Rich Hall = fils

Anonymous said...

I went to grad school with Nicholas Rescher's son, Owen. But he left to attend law school.

Ben W said...

Alexis Burgess and Alexis Burgess' father.

Rebecca Kukla said...

Hi - Here's some more -

Sarah Stroud and Barry Stroud

Jennifer Nagel and Gordon Nagel

Philip and Michael Kremer, both sons of Elmar Kremer

We're everywhere!!!!!

Rebecca Kukla, daughter of Andre, as someone pointed out above. :-)

Anonymous said...

Moses Maimonides and his son and philosophical defender Abraham ben Moses Maimon; though if you start considering rabbinical families they may quickly overwhelm the list.

Rob Helpy-Chalk said...

See, I knew this sort of thing would be more common in other eras.

Anonymous said...

Heather Gert and Josh Gert, both philosophers, offspring of philosopher Bernard Gert.

Anonymous said...

Alan Leslie is Sarah-Jane Leslie's father

Anonymous said...

"Wilfrid" Sellars, not "Wilfred".

Rob Helpy-Chalk said...

Anon: fixed.

Allen Hazen said...

Peter Geach's father was a philosophy academic; I believe that at least one of Geach and Anscombe's children has become one, but am not sure.

Phil (Toronto) and Michael (Notre Dame?) Kremer's father, Elmar Kremer, is an emeritus professor of philosophy at Toronto.

Allen Hazen said...

Cordelia Fine is one of Kit Fine's daughters

Filippo Contesi said...

Will Davies (Cambridge), son of Martin (Oxford)

Unknown said...

Gaylen Strawson, Son Of P.F.

Filippo said...

Bernard Linsky, son of Leonard Linsky.