The philosophers we lost in 2026

2026 has seen the loss of several figures who left a mark on continental and political philosophy.

Charles E. Scott (1935 – 30 March 2026)#

Professor emeritus of philosophy at Vanderbilt University, Scott had previously held the Edwin Erle Sparks Professorship of Philosophy at Pennsylvania State University. He wrote or edited more than seventeen books, among them Living with Indifference, The Lives of Things, The Question of Ethics and Telling Silence. In 2020 he published Beyond Philosophy: Nietzsche, Foucault, Anzaldúa with Nancy Tuana.

He wrote more than two hundred articles and book chapters on Foucault, Heidegger, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, and on psychoanalysis, ethics, death and love.

William L. McBride (19 January 1938 – 10 April 2026)#

Arthur G. Hansen Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University, McBride was known for his work in political and legal philosophy. His time at Purdue spanned more than half a century.

He was the first American to serve as Secretary-General and then President of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP).

Sergio Landucci (1938 – 17 April 2026)#

The Italian philosopher and historian of philosophy died at the age of 88. He was known for his work on Enlightenment thought and the history of modern philosophy.

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