Michael Woods

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    Encontr los datos de un Obituario acerca de Michael Woods, es de fecha 12 de abrilde 1993 y fue escrito por John Ackrill quien fue uno de los editores del libro sobre latica a eudemo, lo cual de alguna manera valida su llamemos testimonio

    Michael John Woods, philosopher: born 16 August 1934; Official Fellow and Tutor in Philosophy,Brasenose College, Oxford 1961-93; died Oxford 2 April 1993.THE VERY first philosophy essay that Michael Woods wrote as an undergraduate of BrasenoseCollege, Oxford - an essay on Mill's Utilitarianism - revealed his aptitude for the subject. It wasclearly written and well argued, and in the discussion he was quick in grasping difficult points. He

    was evidently going to enjoy philosophy.

    It was as a Classical Scholar that Woods had come up (in 1953), and he had worked for ClassicalHonour Moderations under Maurice Platnauer. Fortunately, the Greats syllabus contained a largecomponent of Greek philosophy, and Woods could combine his classical and philosophical interestsin studying Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Ethics. It was no surprise that after taking a First inGreats he should go on to read for the B Phil (under the genial supervision of Henry Price), and thatafter a Senior Scholarship at Merton he should go on to a research and teaching post at ChristChurch. In 1961, he was elected to an official fellowship as a philosophy tutor at Brasenose, where he

    remained until his death.

    Michael Woods taught for most of the philosophy papers taken by undergraduates, and he was anexcellent tutor. Stimulating the stronger pupil with difficult challenges, he could encourage and helpthe weaker pupil with clear explanations. Many of his pupils went on to further work in philosophy;most of them became and remained his friends.

    Woods's own work in modern philosophy was mainly in philosophical logic and metaphysics. Themany papers he published are clever and sometimes intricate, lucid and often highly illuminating.Numerous other papers were written for reading to seminars, discussion groups, or conferences.For he was always glad to accept invitations to perform on such occasions. He could be relied on toprovoke and sustain lively and interesting discussion. His death prevents the completion of the bookon philosophical logic on which he had been working in recent years.

    In ancient philosophy Woods made notable contribution in papers on Plato's Republic andAristotle's ethics and metaphysics. He also produced (in 1982) a book that will be used and valuedas long as Aristotle is studied. The Eudemian Ethics is a work whose important and interest haveonly lately been recognised; and there was no satisfactory English translation and no philosophicalcommentary at all until Woods's volume in the Clarendon Aristotle series. This was a task calling formeticulous Classical scholarship - the Greek text is in many places difficult or corrupt - and foracute philosophical analysis. Woods's volume moved the study of Eudemian Ethics on to a newlevel.

    In 1992 a second edition was published, which took account of the new Oxford Classical text of 1991.Most of the work for this edition was done during a sabbatical year at the National HumanitiesCenter in North Carolina. Woods greatly enjoyed this year (as he had enjoyed earlier sabbaticals at

    the Universities of Michigan and Cornell), and he took advantage of the opportunity to travel in theUS and to meet friends and colleagues. He was always a great traveller. Holidays were usually takenon the Continent, most often in France or Italy. Alone or in company, by train or by bicycle, herelished the travelling, the art and architecture, the food and wine, the people to be visited.

    The college was, however, the centre of his life. For many years he had a splendid set of rooms in theOld Quad. There he taught, worked, listened to music (especially opera), and entertained. Heentertained generously and thoughtfully, and made a great contribution to the social cohesion of thecollege. His fight for sociability had full scope during his years as Curator of the Senior Common

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    Room. Here, as in the college, he was always a unifying influence, promoting agreement andharmony.

    Though Woods was not by nature an administrator, he took on many administrative duties for thecollege and the faculty. He was Vice-Principal for two busy years, covering the transition from oneprincipal to another he was for many years on the Faculty Board and the Philosophy Panel. He

    served on numerous committees: his experience, judgement, impartiality, and good humour madehim invaluable.

    Woods saw great changes in college and university life. The size of the college grew, women wereadmitted, organisation and administration became more complex, the style of life of theundergraduates changed. All this he took in his stride. Though mildly conservative by temperament,he was very liberal in his views and not given to nostalgia. The introduction of a computer into hisstudy might have been expected to disconcert a classical scholar with no pretension to technical skillor scientific expertise. In fact, Woods was delighted with his computer - pleased and somewhatamused to find that the could use it to very good effect.

    A few years ago he moved from his resident's rooms in college to a comfortable and convenienttown-house, an easy walk or cycle ride from college (where he continued to have rooms for teaching

    and research).

    Michael Woods was liked and trusted by everybody. He had a fine sense of humour and great joie devivre. He did well in all his roles: as tutor, philosopher, colleague, friend. He will be rememberedwith deep affection.

    (Photograph omitted)

    Fuente: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-michael-woods-1454900.html

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