February 08

Hans Jæger (1854–1910) was a Norwegian philosopher, writer, and social activist best known as a leading figure of the Kristiania Bohemians. He championed freedom of expression and critiqued bourgeois morality in his works, including the controversial novel 'Fra Kristiania-Bohêmen'. His views on free love and social reform challenged the social norms of late 19th-century Norway. Jæger was imprisoned for blasphemy and obscenity charges related to his publications. His radical ideas influenced later Scandinavian literary and political movements.

John Langshaw Austin was born in 1911 in Lancaster, England, and later taught at Oxford University. His lectures 'How to Do Things with Words' introduced the concept of speech acts in pragmatics. Austin distinguished between locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts, transforming linguistic study. He contributed to logical positivism and influenced subsequent philosophers in language and mind. Austin's clear, analytical style set a standard for 20th-century Anglo-American philosophy. Despite his sudden death in 1960, his theories remain central to philosophy and communication studies.

Iris Murdoch (1919–1999) was a seminal twentieth-century writer and philosopher whose novels, such as "Under the Net" and "The Sea, The Sea", are celebrated for their intricate characters and moral depth. She seamlessly blended narrative fiction with philosophical inquiry, drawing on existentialism and feminist thought in her essays. A fellow of the British Academy and winner of the Booker Prize, her body of work spans over 25 novels, plays, and critical essays. Murdoch explored themes of love, freedom, and the human condition with psychological insight and ethical nuance. Her influence persists in contemporary literature and moral philosophy.