October 21

Julius Caesar Scaliger was a prominent Italian physician and Renaissance scholar. He taught medicine and philosophy at the University of Bordeaux for over three decades. Scaliger authored key works on poetics, grammar, and literary criticism that shaped European thought. His treatise "Poetices Libri Septem" became a foundational text for later critics. As the father of the noted scholar Joseph Justus Scaliger, his intellectual legacy continued through the next generation.

Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar was born in 1921 in West Bengal, India, and later became a disciple of his teacher, Baba Trilochan Khan. In 1955, he founded the Ananda Marga movement, promoting a synthesis of spiritual practice and social service. Sarkar developed Progressive Utilization Theory (PROUT), a socio-economic model aimed at equitable resource distribution and community welfare. He authored over a hundred books on philosophy, economics, and spirituality, often writing under the pen name Shrii Shrii Anandamurti. Despite facing political imprisonment from 1971 to 1978, he continued to write and teach globally upon his release. His teachings emphasized meditation, yoga, and moral living as tools for individual and societal transformation. Sarkar passed away in 1990, and his movement remains active in over forty countries.

Sheldon Sanford Wolin (1922–2015) was an American political philosopher and theorist. He taught at Princeton University, Harvard University, and the University of California, Berkeley on topics of political theory. His seminal works, including 'Politics and Vision' and 'Democracy Incorporated,' offered deep critiques of modern democratic institutions. Wolin introduced the concept of 'inverted totalitarianism' to describe contemporary forms of political control. His scholarship emphasized the role of citizens and civic engagement in sustaining a healthy democracy. Colleagues and students praised his rigorous approach and commitment to intellectual independence.