William Klaas Frankena (June 21, 1908 – October 22, 1994) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

moral philosopher Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns ma ...

. He was a member of the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

's department of

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...

for 41 years (1937–1978), and chair of the department for 14 years (1947–1961).

Life

Frankena's father and mother immigrated to the U.S. as teenagers, in 1892 and 1896 respectively, from

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

, a province in the north of the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. William Frankena was the middle one of three children. He was born in

Manhattan, Montana Manhattan is a town in Gallatin County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,086 at the 2020 census. It is part of the 'Bozeman Micropolitan Statistical Area'. History In 1865, the town was called Hamilton. This changed in 1883 when ...

, grew up in small Dutch communities in Montana and western Michigan, and spoke West Frisian and

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

. In primary school, his given name, Wiebe, was Anglicized to William. Throughout his life, his family and friends called him Bill. His mother died when he was nine years old. He graduated from Holland Christian High School in Holland, MI, in 1926. After farming, his father, Nicholas A. Frankena (1875–1955), devoted the later decades of his life to elected office in Zeeland, MI, where he was mayor, and to service as an elder in the

Christian Reformed Church in North America The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA or CRC) is a Protestant Calvinist Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed Church of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was f ...

, which was founded by Calvinist Dutch immigrants. In 1930, Frankena received a B.A. with majors in English and philosophy from

Calvin College Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed (Calvinist) ...

, a

liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual ca ...

of the Christian Reformed Church. At Calvin, Frankena studied with William Harry Jellema (1893–1982). Frankena then earned an M.A. from the

(1931), where the Department of Philosophy included C. Harold Langford (1895–1964),

Dewitt H. Parker Dewitt H. Parker (1885–1949) was a professor of philosophy at the University of Michigan. Appointed department chair in 1929, Parker published works on metaphysics, aesthetics, and ethics. Publications Books * (1917) ''The Self and Nature ...

(1885–1949), and

Roy Wood Sellars Roy Wood Sellars (July 9, 1880, Seaforth, Ontario – September 5, 1973, Ann Arbor, Michigan) was a Canadian-born American philosopher of critical realism and religious humanism, and a proponent of naturalistic emergent evolution (which he calle ...

(1880–1973). Next Frankena earned a second M.A. and a Ph.D. (1937) at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...

. He studied with

C. I. Lewis Clarence Irving Lewis (April 12, 1883 – February 3, 1964), usually cited as C. I. Lewis, was an American academic philosopher. He is considered the progenitor of modern modal logic and the founder of conceptual pragmatism. First a noted logic ...

, Ralph Barton Perry, and

Alfred North Whitehead Alfred North Whitehead (15 February 1861 – 30 December 1947) was an English mathematician and philosopher. He is best known as the defining figure of the philosophical school known as process philosophy, which today has found applica ...

at Harvard, and with G. E. Moore and

C. D. Broad Charlie Dunbar Broad (30 December 1887 – 11 March 1971), usually cited as C. D. Broad, was an English people, English epistemology, epistemologist, history of philosophy, historian of philosophy, philosophy of science, philosopher of sc ...

at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

in England while he did Ph.D. research. His doctoral dissertation, which focused on Moore's work, was entitled "Recent Intuitionism in British Ethics." Frankena became well known in the profession with his first published paper, "The Naturalistic Fallacy", ''

Mind The mind is the set of faculties responsible for all mental phenomena. Often the term is also identified with the phenomena themselves. These faculties include thought, imagination, memory, will, and sensation. They are responsible for various m ...

'', 1939. During World War II, Frankena taught American history at the University of Michigan. Frankena met his future wife, Sadie, when they were students at Calvin College. In 1928–29, Sadie was president of Calvin's forensic (oration and debate) club and editor-in-chief of Calvin's literary review, ''Chimes''; Frankena was business manager of the club and associate editor of the review. (''Prism'', Calvin College, 1929) He and Sadie were married for 44 years, until Sadie's death in 1978. He was an avid birder, and is survived by two sons, four grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Many Michigan undergraduates were introduced to philosophy in the popular, historically-based course taught by Frankena and his close friend Paul Henle. For nearly his entire career, Frankena did most of his philosophical reading and writing at home at a desk made circa 1870. When he wrote a philosophical paper, he prepared a detailed outline, including very abbreviated versions of all points and cites, before writing the paper longhand using a mechanical pencil. He never used a typewriter or computer. Frankena greatly valued his many conversations with other moral philosophers throughout the U.S. and western Europe. William K. Frankena's philosophical papers are in the collection of the

Bentley Historical Library The Bentley Historical Library is the campus archive for the University of Michigan and is located on the University of Michigan's North Campus in Ann Arbor. It was established in 1935 by the regents of the University of Michigan. Its mission ...

at the University of Michigan. His philosophy books are in the collection of the Tanner Philosophy Library in Angell Hall at the University of Michigan.

Professional service and recognition

While he was chair of the Michigan Philosophy Department, Frankena devoted a considerable portion of his time to service to the university and the philosophy profession, and became known for his role in defending academic freedom during the

McCarthy era McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner. The term origina ...

.S. Darwall, "Learning from Frankena: A Philosophical Remembrance", ''Ethics'', 1997, pp. 685–705. ''The Michigan Daily''
February 26, 1998, regarding the firing of University of Michigan professors for refusing to testify before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Un-American Activities based on their rights under the U.S. Constitution. The article states that University President Harlan H. "Hatcher brought three University professors in front of the House Subcommittee on un-American Activities. After the hearings, Hatcher issued a statement that called for the immediate suspension of the three instructors 'without loss of pay from all duties and connections to the University.' Two of the professors later were fired. Several members of the University community felt Hatcher's handling of the situation was weak." See als
Faculty Governance Update: Annual Lecture on Academic and Intellectual Freedom
Regents, University of Michigan, July 2007. After that period, he had more time to publish books and articles. During his career Frankena was chair of the Board of Officers of the

American Philosophical Association The American Philosophical Association (APA) is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. Founded in 1900, its mission is to promote the exchange of ideas among philosophers, to encourage creative and scholarl ...

(APA), chair of the Council for Philosophical Studies, president of the APA's Western Division, a member of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, a ...

and of the National Academy of Education, and a recipient of a

Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the art ...

, a Fellowship from the

Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) is an interdisciplinary research lab at Stanford University that offers a residential postdoctoral fellowship program for scientists and scholars studying "the five core social and ...

, a

National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...

Senior Fellowship, and a

Rockefeller Fellowship The Rockefeller Foundation is an American private foundation and philanthropic medical research and arts funding organization based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The second-oldest major philanthropic institution in America, after the Carneg ...

. Frankena was also active on

Phi Beta Kappa Society The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...

committees. In 1974, he delivered the APA's prestigious Paul Carus Lectures on "Three Questions about Morality." Calvin College named him a Distinguished Alumnus in 1984. Frankena received the University of Michigan's Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, was

Distinguished Collegiate Professor of Philosophy, and was the first College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Distinguished Senior Faculty Lecturer.

Legacy

A memorial essay by a member of the Michigan Philosophy Department states that "William Frankena contributed as widely to

moral philosophy Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns ...

and its neighboring areas as anyone in that remarkable group that dominated English-speaking

ethics Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concer ...

from the end of World War II well into the 1980s. From

metaethics In metaphilosophy and ethics, meta-ethics is the study of the nature, scope, and meaning of moral judgment. It is one of the three branches of ethics generally studied by philosophers, the others being normative ethics (questions of how one ought ...

, the history of ethics, and normative ethical theory, to

moral education Character education is an umbrella term loosely used to describe the teaching of children and adults in a manner that will help them develop variously as moral, civic, good, mannered, behaved, non-bullying, healthy, critical, successful, traditiona ...

moral psychology Moral psychology is a field of study in both philosophy and psychology. Historically, the term "moral psychology" was used relatively narrowly to refer to the study of moral development. Moral psychology eventually came to refer more broadly to va ...

, and

applied ethics Applied ethics refers to the practical aspect of moral considerations. It is ethics with respect to real-world actions and their moral considerations in the areas of private and public life, the professions, health, technology, law, and leadersh ...

, to religious ethics and the

philosophy of education The philosophy of education is the branch of applied philosophy that investigates the nature of education as well as its aims and problems. It includes the examination of educational theories, the presuppositions present in them, and the arguments ...

, the sweep and quality of his ethical philosophizing was simply extraordinary." When Frankena retired and was awarded emeritus status in 1978, the University Regents stated that "he is renowned for his learning in the history of ethics, a subject about which he is generally believed in the profession to know more than anyone else in the world." The July 1981 issue of ''

The Monist ''The Monist: An International Quarterly Journal of General Philosophical Inquiry'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal in the field of philosophy. It was established in October 1890 by American publisher Edward C. Hegeler. History Init ...

'' is devoted to "The Philosophy of William Frankena.""The Philosophy of William K. Frankena," ''The Monist'', July 1981. The University has created a chair for the "

Carl G. Hempel Carl Gustav "Peter" Hempel (January 8, 1905 – November 9, 1997) was a German writer, philosopher, logician, and epistemologist. He was a major figure in logical empiricism, a 20th-century movement in the philosophy of science. He is espec ...

& William K. Frankena Distinguished University Professor", and annually awards the William K. Frankena Prize for excellence in philosophy to an undergraduate student.

Selected bibliography

* ''Ethics'', 1963, 1973 (2nd ed.). In 1976, Frankena wrote that, in this book, "I finally worked out, in an elementary version, the outlines of an ethical theory, both normative and metaethical. It is still the fullest and only systematic statement there is of my moral philosophy as a whole." (K.E. Goodpaster, ed., 1976, Chapter 17.) * ''Philosophy of Education'', 1965. * ''Three Historical Philosophies of Education: Aristotle, Kant, Dewey'', 1965. * ''Introductory Readings in Ethics'', W.K. Frankena and J.T. Granrose, eds., 1974. * ''Perspectives on Morality: Essays by William K. Frankena'', K.E. Goodpaster, ed., 1976. Chapter 17, written by Frankena for this volume, is a chronological review of his thinking and writings on moral philosophy up to the mid-1970s. The volume contains a bibliography of his work through 1975. * ''Three Questions about Morality'', 1974 Carus Lectures, 1980. * ''Thinking about Morality'', 1980, is an expansion of the University of Michigan Distinguished Senior Faculty Lecture Series delivered by Frankena.

References

External links

Dr William Klaas "Bill" Frankena (1908–1994) – Find A Grave Memorial

William K. Frankena Papers

, Ann Arbor, Michigan. * J.J. Kole
Frankena: "The Moral Point of View Theory"
''Moral Autonomy and Christian Faith: A Discussion with William K. Frankena'', 2002, pp. 21–40, from Kole's personal site, includes biographical sketch. * J.J. Kole
"Bibliographies" (for William K. Frankena)
''Moral Autonomy and Christian Faith: A Discussion with William K. Frankena'', 2002, from Kole's personal site.

University of Michigan. {{DEFAULTSORT:Frankena, William 1908 births 1994 deaths 20th-century American essayists 20th-century American historians 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American philosophers 20th-century educational theorists 20th-century educators 20th-century social scientists American activists American cultural critics American educational theorists American educators American ethicists American male essayists American male non-fiction writers American moral psychologists American people of Dutch descent American people of Frisian descent American philosophy academics 20th-century American psychologists American psychology writers American social sciences writers American sociologists Analytic philosophers Birdwatchers Calvin University alumni Christian ethicists Christian philosophers Epistemologists Free speech activists Harvard University alumni History of ethics History of philosophy History of psychology Intellectual history Meta-ethics Metaphilosophers Metaphysicians Moral philosophers Moral psychology Ontologists People from Gallatin County, Montana Philosophers from Michigan Philosophers from Montana Philosophers of culture Philosophers of education Philosophers of ethics and morality Philosophers of history Philosophers of psychology Philosophers of religion Philosophers of social science Philosophy writers Social critics Social philosophers University of Michigan alumni University of Michigan faculty Writers about activism and social change Writers about religion and science Writers from Michigan Writers from Montana