Henry Babcock Veatch

Henry Babcock Veatch Jr. (September 26, 1911 – July 9, 1999) was an American philosopher. He was recognized as one of the leading neo-Aristotelian philosophers of the twentieth century. Veatch was a strong advocate for intellectualism and Thomistic philosophy, and he actively opposed modern philosophical developments like the "transcendental turn" and the "linguistic turn." He championed realist metaphysics and practical ethics, advocating for clear communication and common sense in philosophical discourse. Veatch held significant academic positions throughout his career, teaching at Indiana University, Northwestern University, and Georgetown University, where he also served as department chair. He received numerous awards for his teaching, including the Frederick Bachman Lieber Award for Distinguished Teaching and the Sigma Delta Chi "Brown Derby" Award. Veatch also played active roles in professional philosophical organizations, serving as president of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, the Metaphysical Society of America, and the Western Division of the American Philosophical Association. His notable works include "Rational Man: A Modern Interpretation of Aristotelian Ethics" (1962), which offered a rationalist counterpoint to existential philosophy.