William K. Frankena

William Klaas Frankena (June 21, 1908 – October 22, 1994) was an American moral philosopher. He was a member of the University of Michigan's department of philosophy for 41 years (1937–1978), and chair of the department for 14 years (1947–1961). Frankena's parents were immigrants from the Netherlands. He was born in Manhattan, Montana, and grew up in Dutch communities. His given name, Wiebe, was Anglicized to William in primary school. His mother died when he was nine. He graduated from Calvin College in 1930 with majors in English and philosophy. He earned an M.A. from the University of Michigan in 1931 and a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1937. His doctoral dissertation focused on G. E. Moore's work. Frankena's first published paper, "The Naturalistic Fallacy," appeared in *Mind* in 1939. During World War II, he taught American history at the University of Michigan. He was married for 44 years to Sadie, whom he met at Calvin College. He was an avid birder and is survived by two sons, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Frankena taught a popular course on the history of philosophy with Paul Henle. He was known for his meticulous writing process, using a mechanical pencil and longhand. His philosophical papers are housed at the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan. Frankena devoted considerable time to university service and professional organizations, including defending academic freedom during the McCarthy era. His 1963 book *Ethics* clarified fundamental concepts in ethics and value theory, distinguishing between 'the good' and 'the right' and contrasting teleological and deontological theories. He also explored the meanings of 'good,' types of value, and sources of intrinsic value. He held numerous prestigious positions and received several fellowships and awards, including the Paul Carus Lectures in 1974. Calvin College recognized him as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1984. He was a Roy Wood Sellars Distinguished Collegiate Professor and a College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Distinguished Senior Faculty Lecturer. Frankena is widely recognized for his significant contributions to moral philosophy, spanning metaethics, history of ethics, normative theory, moral education, moral psychology, applied ethics, religious ethics, and philosophy of education. Upon his retirement in 1978, the University Regents noted his extensive knowledge of the history of ethics. The July 1981 issue of *The Monist* was dedicated to his work. The University of Michigan created a distinguished professorship in his name and awards an annual prize for philosophical excellence to an undergraduate student.