Elizabeth Flower

Elizabeth Farquhar Flower (1914–1995) was an American philosopher and professor of philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. She was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1914. Her father was a teacher and her mother a nurse. Flower graduated from Wilson College in 1935 with a degree in chemistry. She initially considered a career in medicine but shifted her focus to philosophy, earning a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1939. She began her academic career at the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant instructor shortly before graduating and eventually became a full professor in 1974. Flower was recognized as one of the earliest women to pursue a career in university-level philosophy instruction in the United States. She taught various students, including Martin Luther King Jr., who audited one of her ethics seminars. Her scholarly contributions include articles in scientific journals and several books. Her most notable work is 'History of Philosophy in America,' co-authored with Murray G. Murphey, published in 1977. She also co-edited 'Critique of Applied Ethics: Reflections and Recommendations' (1994) and 'Morality, Philosophy and Practice' (1989), and co-authored 'Principales De La Philosofia NordeAmericana.' Flower also taught at Columbia (Barnard), Hamilton College, and institutions abroad in Peru, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina. Her teaching often emphasized the impact of Scottish realism on American philosophy. Beyond her academic roles, Flower served as secretary of the eastern division of the American Philosophical Society. She married philosopher Abraham Edel in 1973 and passed away on June 26, 1995, due to cancer.