George Molnar (philosopher)
Encyclopedia
George Molnar was a Hungarian
-born philosopher whose principal area of interest was metaphysics
, and who worked mainly at the Philosophy
Department at the University of Sydney
. In the 1950s and 1960s he was a prominent member of the university's Libertarian Society and associate of the Sydney Push
. In the 1970s he was active in philosophy department disturbances An infrequent but influential publisher of articles
and material, Molnar was working on a book at the time of his death. He published four philosophical papers in two separate spells; the first two in the 1960s and the second two after a return to the profession in the 1990s. Stephen Mumford
at the University of Nottingham
is acting as archivist of his work and maintains a small page detailing this aspect of his research at the University. Mumford edited Molnar's book and saw it through to publication in 2003 under the title Powers: A Study in Metaphysics.
Philosophers and libertarians who frequented the racecourse knew Molnar as a fervid gambler. His other interests included philately
and early Australian colonial history (particularly the railways systems). At various times he was a taxi-driver, tram-conductor, union advocate and public servant.
Molnar resigned from Sydney University in 1976 and moved to the UK where he became part of the left-wing Big Flame
think-tank. In 1982 he returned to Sydney, joined the Department of Veterans Affairs and became active in the Commonwealth Public Sector Union, later returning to Sydney University as a part-time tutor.
resident in Budapest
. They became separated before World War II
and George was in the care of his mother during pre-war upheavals and persecutions, the Siege of Budapest and progression through various refugee camps until 1951 when the family was reunited in Australia. He studied economics at Sydney University and switched to philosophy in his final year, under the realist philosopher John Anderson
. He was later to be appointed as John Anderson Senior Research Fellow
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
-born philosopher whose principal area of interest was metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
, and who worked mainly at the Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
Department at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. In the 1950s and 1960s he was a prominent member of the university's Libertarian Society and associate of the Sydney Push
Sydney Push
The Sydney Push was a predominantly left-wing intellectual sub-culture in Sydney from the late 1940s to the early '70s. Well known associates of the Push include Jim Baker, John Flaus, Harry Hooton, Margaret Fink, Sasha Soldatow, Lex Banning, Eva Cox, Richard Appleton, Paddy McGuinness, David...
. In the 1970s he was active in philosophy department disturbances An infrequent but influential publisher of articles
Article (publishing)
An article is a written work published in a print or electronic medium. It may be for the purpose of propagating the news, research results, academic analysis or debate.-News articles:...
and material, Molnar was working on a book at the time of his death. He published four philosophical papers in two separate spells; the first two in the 1960s and the second two after a return to the profession in the 1990s. Stephen Mumford
Stephen Mumford
Stephen Dean Mumford is a philosopher and Professor of Metaphysics at The University of Nottingham. Mumford is best known for his work on dispositions and laws, his main work is a monograph on the metaphysics of natural laws entitled "Laws in Nature" and he is often cited for his first major...
at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
is acting as archivist of his work and maintains a small page detailing this aspect of his research at the University. Mumford edited Molnar's book and saw it through to publication in 2003 under the title Powers: A Study in Metaphysics.
Philosophers and libertarians who frequented the racecourse knew Molnar as a fervid gambler. His other interests included philately
Philately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
and early Australian colonial history (particularly the railways systems). At various times he was a taxi-driver, tram-conductor, union advocate and public servant.
Molnar resigned from Sydney University in 1976 and moved to the UK where he became part of the left-wing Big Flame
Big Flame
Big Flame may refer to:*Big Flame , a post-punk "Indie rock" three piece band, based in Manchester in England and active from 1983 to 1986*Big Flame , a left-wing political group in the United Kingdom...
think-tank. In 1982 he returned to Sydney, joined the Department of Veterans Affairs and became active in the Commonwealth Public Sector Union, later returning to Sydney University as a part-time tutor.
Early life
Molnar's parents were middle-class JewsJews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
resident in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. They became separated before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and George was in the care of his mother during pre-war upheavals and persecutions, the Siege of Budapest and progression through various refugee camps until 1951 when the family was reunited in Australia. He studied economics at Sydney University and switched to philosophy in his final year, under the realist philosopher John Anderson
John Anderson (philosopher)
John Anderson was a Scottish-born Australian philosopher who occupied the post of Challis Professor of Philosophy at Sydney University in the years 1927-1958. He founded the empirical brand of philosophy known as Australian realism...
. He was later to be appointed as John Anderson Senior Research Fellow
Further reading
- Coombs, Anne, Sex and Anarchy: The Life and Death of the Sydney Push, Ringwood, Vic.: Viking, 1996.
- Franklin, James, Corrupting the Youth: A History of Philosophy in Australia, Sydney: Macleay Press, 2003.
- Molnar, George, Powers: A Study in Metaphysics, edited with an introduction by Stephen Mumford, and a foreword by D. M. Armstrong, Oxford University Press, 2003.
- Obituary: 'Free-living philosopher revelled in paradox', The Australian (newspaper), 15 Sept. 1999.