Torgny T. Segerstedt (11 August 1908 – 28 January 1999) was a Swedish philosopher and sociologist.

Bo Ralph Bo Rune Ingemar Ralph (born 4 October 1945) is a Swedish linguist, member of the Swedish Academy, and professor of Nordic Languages at the Department of Swedish Language at Gothenburg University. He was elected to the Swedish Academy on 15 April ...

, "Segerstedt, Torgny T:son", ''

Svenskt biografiskt lexikon ''Svenskt biografiskt lexikon'' () is a Swedish biographical dictionary, started in 1917. The first volume, covering names ''Abelin'' to ''Anjou'', was published in 1918. As of 2017, names from A to S are covered. Volumes # ABELIN – ANJOU (1 ...

'', vol. 31, pp. 787–798.

Biography

Torgny T. Segerstedt was born at

Mellerud Mellerud is a locality and the seat of Mellerud Municipality, Västra Götaland County Västra Götaland County ( sv, Västra Götalands län) is a county or '' län'' on the western coast of Sweden. The county is the second most populous of ...

, in Holm parish, Älvsborg County, Sweden. He was the son of Torgny Segerstedt (1876–1945), scholar of comparative religion who taught at Lund University and publicist remembered especially for his uncompromising anti-Nazi stance. He grew up in

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

and from 1917, when his father became editor of ''

Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning ''Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning'' (''GHT'') was a daily newspaper published in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 1832 to 1985. History and profile ''GHT'' was founded in 1832 by publisher Magnus Prytz and had a liberal alignment from the late ...

'', in

Gothenburg Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...

. After completing his secondary education at Göteborgs högre samskola, Segerstedt matriculated at Lund University in 1927, and, after receiving his Licentiate in 1931 and studying in Paris and London, completed his Ph.D. in practical philosophy in 1934. Segerstedt's dissertation was ''Value and reality in Bradley’s philosophy'' and his following studies were also dedicated to the study of English and Scottish philosophy. His direction towards moral philosophy and influences from research in other fields, such as cultural anthropology and sociolinguistics, brought him closer to the field of sociology. After a few years of teaching in Lund, he was appointed to the chair of philosophy in Uppsala in 1938, and then to a new chair in sociology in 1948; this was the first professorial chair in that discipline at a Swedish university. He served as rector magnificus of the university from 1955 to 1978. As rector of Uppsala University for 23 years, he led it through the most significant period of expansion and reform in its history and presided over its 500th anniversary in 1977. He retired in 1978 and was succeeded as rector by Martin H:son Holmdahl. He was a member of numerous academies and learned societies, including the

Swedish Academy The Swedish Academy ( sv, Svenska Akademien), founded in 1786 by King Gustav III of Sweden, Gustav III, is one of the Swedish Royal Academies, Royal Academies of Sweden. Its 18 members, who are elected for life, comprise the highest Swedish lang ...

from 1975. On 2 June 1978 Segerstedt received an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Uppsala University. He was awarded the Illis quorum in 1978.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Segerstedt, Torgny T 1908 births 1999 deaths People from Mellerud Municipality Lund University alumni Swedish sociologists 20th-century Swedish philosophers Academic staff of Uppsala University Members of the Swedish Academy Rectors of Uppsala University Burials at Uppsala old cemetery Recipients of the Illis quorum Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences