SAD NEWS
I have just learned, from David Auerbach, that Sylvain Bromberger has died. Sylvain was an old, old friend from my Harvard graduate school days, and we were then briefly colleagues at the University of Chicago from 1961-63. He spent most of his career at MIT. Not too long ago, when I gave a talk at MIT, we reconnected briefly. I have lovely memories of Sylvain, who was universally not only admired for his intelligence but loved as a human being. A little later on, I will write something of my memories of him. Sylvain was 94 when he passed away.
I took excellent courses from him as an undergrad at MIT. He advised me to get a Ph.D. in Physics before becoming a philosopher. That was probably good advice, but I ignored it.
ReplyDeleteMy condolences.
ReplyDeleteNow completely off topic, I just discovered this interview with Professor Wolff from 2015. It is very enlightening and a good introduction to socialism for those like me who find it difficult to follow even what he calls "simple mathematics" in his Marx lectures.
https://philosophyinpubliclife.org/2015/01/11/why-not-socialism-with-robert-paul-wolff/
Sylvain was one my teachers at MIT back in the early 70s. He was deeply clever and also kind and generous. how he came here some pubs
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Speaking of menschen, here's background on the Portuguese consul: Aristides de Sousa Mendes do Amaral e Abranches
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation of Sylvain. He and I were not close friends but were on friendly terms. Something that impressed me is that he came to the Harvard philosohy colloquium and asked good questions until he was close to 90.
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