Frederick Sontag

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Frederick Sontag
BornOctober 2, 1924 (1924-10-02)
DiedJune 14, 2009(2009-06-14) (aged 84)
EraContemporary philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
SchoolExistentialism
Main interests
Existentialism; Metaphysics; Philosophy of Religion; Philosophical Theology[1]

Frederick Earl Sontag (October 2, 1924 – June 14, 2009[2]) was a professor of philosophy and author. He taught at Pomona College in Claremont, California from 1952 to 2009,[3] retiring shortly before his death.[4]

Biography

Sontag served in the U.S. Army during the

Second World War, becoming a sergeant. He graduated from Stanford University in 1949 with a B.A. (with great distinction), then attended Yale University where he earned an M.A. in 1951 and a Ph.D. in 1952.[3]

Sontag was the Robert C. Denison Professor of Philosophy at

Fulbright Regional American Professor, East Asian and Pacific Area from 1977 to 1978.[3]

His research interests were existentialism, metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and philosophical theology.[1][5] Sontag was a minister in the United Church of Christ.[6] He was considered an expert on the Unification Church. In the 1970s he interviewed church founder Sun Myung Moon and church members in Europe, America, and Asia while researching for a book published in 1977.[6][7][8][9]

In 2000, Sontag offered to let a troubled student spend the night at his home. But as he drove the student to his dormitory to pick up some clothes, the student became agitated, drew a knife and stabbed Sontag twice.

not guilty by reason of insanity.[12] He said about the incident: "My genes lack something, I don't seem to hold grudges...I believe in restoring relationships."[13]

In a 2004 interview with Pomona College Magazine, singer, actor, songwriter, and former Pomona College student Kris Kristofferson mentioned Sontag as an important influence in his life.[14]

Upon his retirement from Pomona College in May 2009, Sontag was awarded the Pomona College Trustees’ Medal of Merit, as "an extraordinarily magnanimous member of this community."[15] He died of congestive heart failure on June 14, 2009.[2] A research fellowship fund, a gate, a theater, and a residence hall are named in his honor.[15][16]

Works

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Endowed Professorships, Pomona College Archived 2008-09-22 at the Wayback Machine Accessed June 18, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Professor Fred Sontag 1924-2009 Archived 2009-06-19 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed June 16, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c "Frederick (Earl) Sontag". Contemporary Authors Online. Gale. June 15, 2001. Retrieved on May 11, 2009.
  4. ^ Remarks on the Occasion of the Retirement of Frederick Sontag Archived 2012-02-21 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed June 16, 2009.
  5. ^ My Pomoma Archived 2010-07-06 at the Wayback Machine, Pomona College website. Accessed May 14, 2009.
  6. ^ a b Frederick E. Sontag dies at 84; Pomona College philosophy professor, Los Angeles Times, June 20, 2009
  7. ^
    St. Petersburg Times
    , February 4, 1978
  8. ^ a b Moon: an objective look at his theology, Boca Raton News, 1977-11-25
  9. Washington Post
    , November 24, 1997
  10. ^ Colleges Stunned by Professor's Stabbing, Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, November 6, 2000
  11. ^ Student Arraigned in Stabbing of Teacher, Los Angeles Times, November 9, 2000
  12. ^ L.A. Times 2009-06-20
  13. ^ Professor's Philosophy of Life Unshaken, Kenneth R. Weisss and Richard Winton, November 2, 2000, Los Angeles Times, reprinted in Pomona College Magazine Archived 2008-12-12 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Acts of Will Archived 2013-03-16 at the Wayback Machine, Pomona College Magazine, Winter 2004
  15. ^ a b Presentation of the Trustees’ Medal of Merit to Frederick Sontag Archived 2012-02-21 at the Wayback Machine, May 17, 2009, by Stewart Smith, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Accessed June 18, 2009.
  16. ^ Remarks on the Occasion of the Retirement of Frederick Sontag Archived 2012-02-21 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed June 18, 2009.
  17. ^ George J. Stack, Book Review: The Existentialist Prolegomena: To a Future Metaphysics by Frederick Sontag, Man and World, Springer Netherlands, Volume 5, Number 1 / February, 1972, pp. 124-134

Reference 14 is a broken link

External links