David Sidorsky Professor Emeritus | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 7, 1927 |
| Died | December 28, 2021 (aged 94) |
| Occupation(s) | Philosopher, Professor |
| Years active | 1959-2008 |
| Known for | Studies on John Dewey, Sidney Hook |
| Academic background | |
| Education | New York University |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Thesis | The Nature of Disagreement in Social Philosophy: Four Criticisms of Liberalism (1959) |
| Academic work | |
| Doctoral students | Elliot N. Dorff |
David Sidorsky (July 7, 1927 – December 28, 2021) was an American professor emeritus of philosophy, who joined the faculty of Columbia University in 1959.[1][2][3]
David Sidorsky was born on July 7, 1925, in Calgary, Alberta, after his Zionist parents emigrated from Lithuania.[4] He received a BA in 1948 and MA in 1954 from New York University. He received his doctorate in philosophy from Columbia University in 1962.[1][2][3] He wrote his doctoral dissertation on "The Nature of Disagreement in Social Philosophy: Four Criticisms of Liberalism."[5]
Sidorksy served in the Israeli army during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. After the fighting stopped, he studied at Hebrew University, where professors included Hugo Bergman.[4]
After visiting home in Calgary after the war and studies in Israel, he returned to New York City and taught at New York University.[4] In 1959, Sidorsky began teaching philosophy at Columbia University, with primary interests in moral and political philosophy, as well as philosophy of literature and the 20th century philosophy and American philosophy.[1] He also taught philosophy at New York University.[2] Sirdorsky's doctoral students include Elliot N. Dorff (1971).
In 1981, Sidorsky began an association lasting more than three decades with the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) by joining its board of directors.[6] By 1987, he had moved to JINSA's advisory board,[7] where he remained a member until at least as late as 2011.[8] (JINSA, is a pro-Israel non-profit think-tank, founded in 1976 and based in Washington, DC.)
Sidorsky was a lifelong disciple of John Dewey. Teachers and colleagues include: Frank Tannenbaum, James Goodman, Horace L. Friess, John Herman Randall Jr., J. L. Austin, and Gilbert Ryle.[2]
Sidorsky studied Arabic.[4]
Sidorsky appeared in the documentary Tom's Restaurant - A Documentary About Everything (2014).[9] Eater.com described Sidorsky as "doe eyed cupid of a classics [sic] professor."[10]
Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff dedicated his book To Do the Right and the Good (2004) to Sidorsky.[2] Costin Alamariu dedicated his book Selective Breeding and the Birth of Philosophy (2023) to Sidorsky.
Sidorsky's works include:[1]
Essays:
Books Edited or Introduced: