Paul Woodruff (born 1943) is a

classicist Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

, professor of philosophy, and dean at

The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

, where he once chaired the department of philosophy and has more recently held the Hayden Head Regents Chair as director of Plan II Honors program, which he resigned in 2006 after 15 years of service. On September 21, 2006, University President William C. Powers, Jr. named Dr. Woodruff the inaugural dean of undergraduate studies. He is best known for his work on Socrates, Plato, and philosophy of theater. A beloved professor, he often teaches courses outside his Ancient

Greek Philosophy Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BC, marking the end of the Greek Dark Ages. Greek philosophy continued throughout the Hellenistic period and the period in which Greece and most Greek-inhabited lands were part of the Roman Empi ...

specialty, including literature courses and specialty seminars, often for the Plan II program.

Biography

Born in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

(though raised in western

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

), Woodruff attended

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

, where he completed a major in

Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

in 1965. His studies then took him to

Merton College Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, ch ...

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

as a

Marshall Scholar The Marshall Scholarship is a postgraduate scholarship for "intellectually distinguished young Americans ndtheir country's future leaders" to study at any university in the United Kingdom. It is widely considered one of the most prestigious sc ...

, where he completed a

Bachelor's Degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in Literae Humaniores in 1968. Inspired by the Socratic beliefs on rule of law, he served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

from 1969 to 1971, during which time he attained the rank of

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. Returning to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, he again attended Princeton University, where he completed his

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

in Philosophy, studying under

Gregory Vlastos Gregory Vlastos (; el, Γρηγόριος Βλαστός; July 27, 1907 – October 12, 1991) was a preeminent scholar of ancient philosophy, and author of many works on Plato and Socrates. He transformed the analysis of classical philosophy ...

. In the same year, he joined the Department of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has remained to this day. In 1974 he married Lucia Woodruff and they had two children (Rachel Woodruff in 1975, and Katherine Lange in 1977) and now have six grandchildren (Jane Lange 2005 (deceased), Zora Daniel 2008, Megan Lange 2009, Sofia Daniel 2011, Cora Lange 2012, and Ruth Lange (2015).

Bibliography

Books

* * ''Reverence; Renewing a Forgotten Virtue''

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...

(2001) * ''First Democracy; The Challenge of an Ancient Idea'' Oxford University Press (2005) * ''The Necessity of Theater; The Art of Watching and Being Watched'' Oxford University Press (2008) * ''The Ajax Dilemma: Justice, Fairness, and Rewards'' Oxford University Press (2011)

Translations

* ''Plato: Two Comic Dialogues (Ion and Hippias Major)'' Hackett (1983) * ''Plato: Symposium'' (with

Alexander Nehamas Alexander Nehamas ( el, Αλέξανδρος Νεχαμάς; born 22 March 1946) is a Greek-born American philosopher. He is a professor of philosophy and comparative literature and the Edmund N. Carpenter II Class of 1943 Professor in the Humani ...

) Hackett (1999) * ''Thucydides on Justice, Power, and Human Nature'' Hackett (1993) * ''Plato: Phaedrus'' (with Alexander Nehamas) Hackett (1995) * ''Euripides Bacchae'' Hackett (1998) * ''Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus'' (with Peter Meineck) Hackett (2000) * ''Sophocles: Antigone '' Hackett (2001) * ''Sophocles: Theban Plays, with Introductions by Paul Woodruff'' (with Peter Meineck) Hackett (2003)

Editor

* ''Facing Evil; Light at the Core of Darkness''. (with Harry A. Wilmer)

Open Court Press Open or OPEN may refer to: Music * Open (band), Australian pop/rock band * The Open (band), English indie rock band * ''Open'' (Blues Image album), 1969 * ''Open'' (Gotthard album), 1999 * ''Open'' (Cowboy Junkies album), 2001 * ''Open'' ( ...

(1988) * ''Early Greek Political Thought from Homer to the Sophists'' (with Michael Gagarin)

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...

(1995) * ''Reason and Religion in Socratic Philosophy'' (edited, with Nicholas D. Smith) Oxford University Press (2000)

Critical studies and reviews

Awards and recognition

Awards

* Harry Ransom Teaching Award * Academy of Distinguished Teachers * Austin Book Award * B. Iden Payne Award for best new play (1983) *

Pro Bene Meritis Pro is an abbreviation meaning "professional". Pro, PRO or variants thereof may also refer to: People * Miguel Pro (1891–1927), Mexican priest * Pro Hart (1928–2006), Australian painter * Mlungisi Mdluli (born 1980), South African retire ...

(2002) * Civitatis (2007)

Academic positions

* Dean of Undergraduate Studies * Chair, Department of Philosophy * Hayden Head Chair as Director of the Plan II Honors Program * Mary Helen Thompson Centennial Professor in the Humanities

External links

Biography as Dean of Undergraduate StudiesBiography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodruff, Paul 1943 births Living people United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War American philosophers American philosophy academics American scholars of ancient Greek philosophy University of Texas at Austin faculty Alumni of Merton College, Oxford Translators of Ancient Greek texts Princeton University alumni Marshall Scholars United States Army officers