MR
Morris Raphael Cohen
27quotes
Morris Raphael Cohen
Full Name and Common Aliases
Morris Raphael Cohen is often referred to as M.R. Cohen.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on February 25, 1880, in Moscow, Russia; passed away on January 28, 1947, in New York City, USA.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Cohen was a Russian-born American philosopher and legal scholar of Jewish descent. He held dual citizenship and spent most of his adult life in the United States.
Early Life and Background
Morris Raphael Cohen grew up in a middle-class family in Moscow, where he developed an interest in philosophy at an early age. His intellectual inclinations were nurtured by his parents, who encouraged his love for learning. However, due to growing anti-Semitism in Russia, Cohen's family made the difficult decision to emigrate to the United States when Morris was just 15 years old.
Major Accomplishments
Cohen earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1900 and went on to teach philosophy at various institutions. He developed a particular interest in ethics, epistemology, and logic. During World War I, Cohen served as a naval officer, which further broadened his intellectual horizons.
Notable Works or Actions
Cohen's most notable work is probably "Reason and Nature" (1931), where he proposed the concept of pragmatism as an alternative to both traditional empiricism and rationalism. This influential book not only influenced American philosophy but also gained international recognition. His other significant contributions include his critiques of classical realism, which led him to develop a distinctive theory of truth.
Impact and Legacy
Morris Raphael Cohen's ideas had far-reaching implications for American thought and culture. He played a pivotal role in shaping the development of pragmatism as a distinct philosophical movement in the United States. His critique of traditional epistemology paved the way for future philosophers to engage with practical applications of knowledge.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Cohen's influence extends beyond academia; his ideas continue to resonate among thinkers, policymakers, and everyday individuals grappling with complex moral dilemmas. As an advocate for pragmatism and critical thinking, Cohen's legacy reminds us that intellectual pursuits should be grounded in a commitment to practical action.
Throughout his life, Morris Raphael Cohen navigated multiple roles: philosopher, educator, naval officer, and writer. His experiences in the United States allowed him to contribute significantly to American intellectual culture while maintaining strong ties with European thought traditions.
Quotes by Morris Raphael Cohen
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Liberalism is an attitude rather than a set of dogmas – an attitude that insists upon questioning all plausible and self-evident propositions, seeking not to reject them but to find out what evidence there is to support them rather than their possible alternatives.
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Wisdom is not to be obtained from textbooks, but must be coined out of human experience in the flame of life.
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The business of the philosopher is well done if he succeeds in raising genuine doubt.
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Small groups or communities may be far more oppressive to the individual than larger ones. Men are in many ways freer in large cities than in small villages.
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By no amount of reasoning can we altogether eliminate all contingency from our world. Moreover, pure speculation alone will not enable us to get a determinate picture of the existing world. We must eliminate some of the conflicting possibilities, and this can be brought about only by experiment and observation.
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All logic texts are divided into two parts. In the first part, on deductible logic, the fallacies are explained; in the second part, on inductive logic, they are committed.
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It has generally been assumed that of two opposing systems of philosophy, e.g., realism and idealism, one only can be true and one must be false; and so philosophers have been hopelessly divided on the question, which is the true one.
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A creative element is surely present in all great systems, and it does not seem possible that all sympathy or fundamental attitudes of will can be entirely eliminated from any human philosophy.
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This open eye for possible alternatives which need to be scrutinized before we can determine which is the best grounded is profoundly disconcerting to all conservatives and to almost all revolutionaries.
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