June 22

Wilhelm von Humboldt was a key figure in the German Enlightenment, known for his pioneering ideas in linguistics and education reform. As Prussia's Interior Minister, he reorganized higher education and helped establish the University of Berlin in 1810. Humboldt's theory that language shapes thought influenced later developments in modern linguistics. He was also a prolific writer, producing essays on culture, politics, and the philosophy of language. His work laid the groundwork for research in philology and educational theory that endures to this day.

James Hutchison Stirling was a pioneering British idealist philosopher whose work helped popularize the ideas of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel in the English-speaking world. Trained as a physician, he combined scientific rigor with philosophical inquiry in texts such as 'The Secret of Hegel' (1865). Stirling's writings explored the connections between mind, reality, and history, earning him recognition in academic and intellectual circles. He engaged in public lectures and correspondence with leading thinkers of his time. Stirling's efforts laid the foundation for the British idealist movement in late 19th-century philosophy.

William Kneale (1906–1990) was an English philosopher and logician best known for his work 'The Development of Logic,' co-authored with his wife Martha Kneale. The book provided a comprehensive history of logical thought from ancient Greece through modern times. Kneale’s scholarship illuminated the evolution of logical theories and their philosophical implications. He served as a professor at the University of Oxford, influencing generations of students. His clear, systematic approach helped establish the field of logical history as an academic discipline.

Born in Meissen, Germany, Emil Fackenheim survived internment in Buchenwald and emigrated after World War II, eventually teaching philosophy at the University of Toronto. His work confronted the theological and ethical challenges posed by the Holocaust, formulating the idea that Jews must survive as a divine imperative, often called the 614th commandment. Fackenheim wrote extensively on Jewish thought, humanism, and interfaith dialogue. A Reform rabbi, he sought to reconcile modern philosophy with Jewish tradition. He passed away in 2003, leaving a profound impact on post-Holocaust theology.

Born in 1947 in Beaune, France, Bruno Latour became one of the most influential thinkers in science studies, anthropology, and sociology. He co-founded the field of science and technology studies (STS) and challenged traditional views on the relationship between science, society, and politics. His book "Laboratory Life" introduced the concept of the laboratory as a social construction, and "We Have Never Been Modern" critiqued modernity’s separation of nature and society. Latour’s Actor-Network Theory proposed that human and non-human actors shape social networks. He held academic positions at the École des Mines, Sciences Po, and the London School of Economics, among others. His work earned numerous awards and reshaped how scholars understand scientific knowledge production. Latour passed away in 2022, leaving a profound legacy across multiple disciplines.