Thelma Z. Lavine

Thelma Zeno Lavine (born February 12, 1915, Boston, Massachusetts; died January 28, 2011) was an American philosopher, professor, and writer. Her academic career spanned several decades and institutions, including Wells College, Brooklyn College, the University of Maryland, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Lavine's scholarly interests were broad, encompassing 19th and 20th-century continental philosophy, interpretation theory, sociology of knowledge, American philosophy, and American culture. However, her primary focus became American philosophy, with a particular emphasis on pragmatism and the writings of John Dewey, Charles S. Peirce, C.I. Lewis, Morris R. Cohen, John H. Randall Jr., and John McDermott. She was an early proponent of the Hermeneutic (interpretive) turn in contemporary philosophy. Lavine's influential book, 'From Socrates to Sartre, The Philosophic Quest' (1984), grew out of a popular televised lecture series and was widely read and translated. She was also recognized for her contributions to understanding the American philosophic tradition and Naturalism. Lavine received teaching awards and was honored by the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy (SAAP).