September 21

Born in 1686 in Sheffield, Balguy studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was ordained in the Church of England. He became Archdeacon of Salisbury and wrote extensively on ethics and theology. In 'Reflections upon a Future State' (1737), he defended the moral sense theory and argued for the soul’s immateriality. His posthumous work 'Divine Rectitude' (1753) explored divine justice and the nature of virtue. Balguy’s clear prose and logical rigor earned him respect among contemporaries like Samuel Clarke. His writings addressed the interplay of reason, faith, and morality during the early Enlightenment. He died in 1748, leaving a legacy of influential treatises on virtue and theological thought.

Born in 1788 in Danzig (now Gdańsk), Schopenhauer developed a philosophy centered on the concept of the 'will' as the driving force behind human experience. His seminal work, The World as Will and Representation (1818), argued that desire and suffering are inherent to existence, influencing later existential and psychoanalytic thought. A fierce critic of Hegelian idealism, he championed Eastern philosophies and the arts as antidotes to life's inherent suffering. Schopenhauer's ideas on aesthetics, ethics, and the nature of reality resonated with figures such as Nietzsche, Wagner, and Freud. Though often controversial, his lucid writing style and penetrating insights secured his place as a seminal figure in 19th-century philosophy.

Born in San Sebastian in 1898, Xavier Zubiri studied under some of the leading thinkers of his generation. He engaged deeply with phenomenology, existentialism, and traditional scholastic philosophy. Zubiri developed a metaphysical framework centered on 'sentient intelligence,' bridging subjective experience and objective reality. His major works, including 'Inteligencia Sentiente' and 'Sobre la esencia,' have influenced Hispanic philosophical discourse. Despite health challenges, he taught and wrote prolifically, leaving a significant legacy in modern Western philosophy. His ideas continue to be studied for their original approach to reality and consciousness.

Born in Novi Sad in 1934 and a Holocaust survivor, Yehuda Elkana emigrated to Israel after World War II. He earned his Ph.D. in the history and philosophy of science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Elkana taught at Tel Aviv University and directed the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science. Later, he served as rector and president of the Central European University in Budapest, promoting academic freedom. His influential writings examined how scientific knowledge is shaped by cultural, social, and historical contexts. Elkana received numerous awards for his contributions to higher education reform and scholarly research.