January 22

George Holyoake was an influential English thinker who coined the term 'secularism' and promoted free thought. He edited The Reasoner newspaper, advocating for religious tolerance and social reform. A leading figure in the cooperative movement, he helped establish consumer cooperatives in the 19th century. Holyoake wrote extensively on ethics, politics, and social issues, bridging journalism and activism. His work left a lasting impact on secular and cooperative organizations.

A student of William James at Harvard, Ralph Barton Perry (1876–1957) became a central figure in American philosophy, advocating personalism—the view that personality is the fundamental reality. His book 'General Theory of Value' earned the 1927 Pulitzer Prize for Philosophy or Psychology. Perry served as a Harvard professor and later as president of the University of Connecticut, shaping academic programs and mentoring future scholars. His writings bridged analytic philosophy and pragmatism, addressing ethics, metaphysics, and political theory. A prolific lecturer, he helped establish philosophy departments across the United States, leaving a lasting impact on philosophical education.

Israel Eldad was born in 1910 in Galicia (then Austrian Poland) and studied law and philosophy. He joined the Zionist underground group Lehi and was imprisoned by British authorities. Eldad became a leading ideological voice for Revisionist Zionism and Jewish self-defence. His philosophical writings explored Jewish identity, nationalism, and the ethics of resistance. After Israel's independence, he lectured at universities and wrote essays shaping Israeli political thought. Eldad's bold ideas continue to spark debate in discussions of Middle Eastern politics and philosophy.