Sidney Hook Philosopher

Sidney Hook (December 20, 1902 – July 12, 1989) was an American philosopher of the Pragmatist school known for his contributions to the philosophy of history, the philosophy of education, political theory, and ethics. After embracing Communism in his youth, Hook was later known for his criticisms of totalitarianism, both fascism, and Marxism–Leninism. A pragmatic social democrat, Hook sometimes cooperated with conservatives, particularly in opposing Communism. After World War II, he argued that members of such groups as the Communist Party USA and other Leninist conspiracies could ethically be barred from holding the offices of public trust because they called for the violent overthrow of democratic governments.

Personal facts

Birth date	December 20, 1902
Birth place	New York City
Date of death	July 12, 1989
Place of death	Stanford California
Era	20th-century philosophy
Main interest	Philosophy of education Political philosophy Marxist philosophy

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Philosopher

influenced	Paul Kurtz Lionel Trilling Morris Janowitz Barbara Branden
influenced by	Bertrand Russell John Dewey Karl Marx Morris Raphael Cohen
philosophical school	Pragmatism
region	Western philosophy