August 12

Born around 1492 in Burgos, Spain, and joined the Dominican Order. Taught theology and law at the University of Salamanca. Formulated principles of just war theory and sovereignty grounded in natural law. Argued for the moral and legal rights of indigenous peoples in the Americas. Pioneered concepts of international law in his lectures and writings. Influenced later jurists like Hugo Grotius and the development of human rights. Critiqued absolute monarchy and defended moral constraints on conquest. Died in 1546, his scholarship laid the foundations for modern legal and ethical thought.

Born in 1557 in Diedenshausen, Germany, and educated in theology and law. Served as syndicus (legal advisor) of the city of Emden. Published Politica Methodice Digesta in 1603, outlining communal governance. Arrested power through a covenantal theory linking rulers and citizens. Advocated shared sovereignty and early concepts of federalism. Applied Reformed theology to political structures, emphasizing law and morality. Influenced later political thinkers like Montesquieu and the framers of federal systems. Died in 1638, his work remains a cornerstone of political and legal philosophy.

Born in 1929 in Helsingin maalaiskunta, Hintikka studied mathematics and philosophy at the University of Helsinki. He introduced possible worlds semantics for modal logic, transforming the study of necessity and knowledge. Hintikka developed interrogative logic, viewing inquiry as a central philosophical method. He taught at institutions like UCLA, Stanford, and Boston University, influencing generations of logicians. His seminal works include 'Knowledge and Belief' and 'The Principles of Mathematics Revisited'. Hintikka published over 50 books and 200 articles, covering philosophy, logic, and the philosophy of language. He received numerous honors, including the Rolf Schock Prize in Logic and Philosophy. Hintikka died in 2015, celebrated as one of the 20th century's most original philosophers.