Laurence Thomas

Laurence Thomas (born 1949) was an American philosopher and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Political Science at Syracuse University. He passed away on December 27, 2025, at the age of 76, in Jamesville, New York. Thomas made significant contributions to the fields of moral luck and social philosophy. He is particularly noted for his work concerning the experiences of African Americans and Jews. A key concept in his work is "moral deference," wherein he asserts that individuals belonging to "diminished social category" groups, those unjustly undervalued, should be given a presumption of credibility when they speak of their experiences. For instance, if a Black woman in a predominantly white society alleges racism, her claim must be taken with particular seriousness. Thomas held academic positions at various institutions, including Syracuse University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, the University of Maryland, and Oberlin College. He was also a visiting scholar at the University of Michigan, an Andrew Mellon Faculty Fellow at Harvard University, and a Fellow of the National Humanities Center. His accolades include being named Syracuse University's Scholar-Teacher of the Year in 1993. Thomas authored over 100 articles, with a notable focus on friendship. His essays addressed topics such as "Forgiving the Unforgivable," "Group Autonomy and Narrative Identity," and "Moral Deference." One of his highly regarded essays, "Being Moral and Handling the Truth," explored the morality of lying, suggesting that a lie can be virtuous in certain contexts, such as at a friend's wedding when one has learned of a terminal illness.