John Arthur (philosopher)
Encyclopedia
John Arthur was an American professor of philosophy and an expert in legal theory, constitutional theory
, social ethics
, and political philosophy
. He taught at the State University of New York at Binghamton for 18 years.
in philosophy and history at Cornell College
and his master's degree in political sociology
and PhD in philosophy at Vanderbilt University
.
, Harvard University
, Tennessee State University
, the College of Charleston
and Lake Forest College
.
From 1981–1988 Arthur taught at Tennessee State University
. Finding the segregated
conditions at TSU to be in violation of the Equal Protection Clause
of the United States Constitution
, he organized a biracial group to file suit against the State of Tennessee
. The resulting settlement included a desegregation plan for the entire post-secondary education
system of Tennessee and brought in millions of dollars to improve Tennessee State University. In 1989, soon after leaving Tennessee State University, Arthur published his first book, The Unfinished Constitution: Philosophy and Constitutional Practice. Arthur served as a fellow in law and philosophy at Harvard Law School
from 1986–1988.
In 1988, Arthur became a professor of philosophy at Binghamton University
, where he worked for 18 years. He created an interdisciplinary academic major
for Binghamton undergraduate students called the "Program in Philosophy, Politics, and Law", of which Arthur was the director. He received the University and Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching in 1992. In 1995, Arthur served as a research fellow
at the University of St Andrews
' Centre for Philosophy and Public Affairs, and from 2002–2003 he was a fellow in law and philosophy at the University of Oxford.
lawyer Amy Shapiro in Denver, Colorado. Arthur's previous marriage had ended in divorce.
John Arthur died in hospice
care at Lourdes Hospital
in Binghamton
, New York on the morning of January 22 after a year-long battle with lung cancer. He was buried in Denver, Colorado and was survived by his wife.
Arthur also co-edited and co-authored several books, including:
Constitutional theory
Constitutional theory is an area of constitutional law that focuses on the underpinnings of constitutional government. It overlaps with legal theory, constitutionalism, philosophy of law and democratic theory...
, social ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
, and political philosophy
Political philosophy
Political philosophy is the study of such topics as liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what, if anything, makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
. He taught at the State University of New York at Binghamton for 18 years.
Early life and education
John Arthur, son of L. James Arthur and Elizabeth Gleason Arthur, grew up in Denver, Colorado. Arthur earned his bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in philosophy and history at Cornell College
Cornell College
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Originally called the Iowa Conference Seminary, the school was founded in 1853 by Reverend Samuel M. Fellows...
and his master's degree in political sociology
Political sociology
Contemporary political sociology involves much more than the study of the relations between state and society . Where a typical research question in political sociology might have been: "Why do so few American citizens choose to vote?" or even, "What difference does it make if women get elected?" ...
and PhD in philosophy at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
.
Academic career
In total, John Arthur spent time teaching at five colleges and universities, including Brandeis UniversityBrandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
, the College of Charleston
College of Charleston
The College of Charleston is a public, sea-grant and space-grant university located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States...
and Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College, founded in 1857, is a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. The college has 1,500 students representing 47 states and 78 countries....
.
From 1981–1988 Arthur taught at Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
. Finding the segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
conditions at TSU to be in violation of the Equal Protection Clause
Equal Protection Clause
The Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"...
of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
, he organized a biracial group to file suit against the State of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. The resulting settlement included a desegregation plan for the entire post-secondary education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
system of Tennessee and brought in millions of dollars to improve Tennessee State University. In 1989, soon after leaving Tennessee State University, Arthur published his first book, The Unfinished Constitution: Philosophy and Constitutional Practice. Arthur served as a fellow in law and philosophy at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
from 1986–1988.
In 1988, Arthur became a professor of philosophy at Binghamton University
Binghamton University
Binghamton University, also formally called State University of New York at Binghamton, , is a public research university in the State of New York. The University is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York system...
, where he worked for 18 years. He created an interdisciplinary academic major
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
for Binghamton undergraduate students called the "Program in Philosophy, Politics, and Law", of which Arthur was the director. He received the University and Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching in 1992. In 1995, Arthur served as a research fellow
Research fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
' Centre for Philosophy and Public Affairs, and from 2002–2003 he was a fellow in law and philosophy at the University of Oxford.
Personal life
In 1990, John Arthur married consumer protectionConsumer protection
Consumer protection laws designed to ensure fair trade competition and the free flow of truthful information in the marketplace. The laws are designed to prevent businesses that engage in fraud or specified unfair practices from gaining an advantage over competitors and may provide additional...
lawyer Amy Shapiro in Denver, Colorado. Arthur's previous marriage had ended in divorce.
John Arthur died in hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
care at Lourdes Hospital
Lourdes Hospital (New York)
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is a community hospital in Binghamton, New York sponsored by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.In 1983, the hospital was selected by the US Federal Government to take part in a national cancer research project. In 2006, a flood cost the hospital several...
in Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, New York on the morning of January 22 after a year-long battle with lung cancer. He was buried in Denver, Colorado and was survived by his wife.
Works
John Arthur wrote three books, the last of which was published posthumously.- The Unfinished Constitution: Philosophy and Constitutional Practice (1989)
- Words That Bind, Judicial Review and the Grounds of Modern Constitutional Practice (1995)
- Race, Equality, and the Burdens of History (2007)
Arthur also co-edited and co-authored several books, including:
- Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social and Political Philosophy (7th edition; 2004)
- Readings in the Philosophy of Law (5th edition; 2009)
External links
- Program in Philosophy, Politics, and Law at Binghamton University