Morris Raphael Cohen (July 25, 1880 - January 28, 1947)

Philosopher, lawyer and legal scholar. Father of Felix S. Cohen. Born in Minsk, then in Russia, now Belarus. Emigrated to the United States in 1892. Educated at The City College of New York and Harvard University, where he studied under Josiah Royce, William James, and Hugo Munsterberg; PhD Harvard 1906. Professor of Philosphy at CCNY from 1912-38. He also taught Law at City College (CCNY) and the University of Chicago 1938-41, gave courses at the New School for Social Research, and lectured in Philosophy and Law at Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and other universities.

Cohen was legendary as a professor for his wit, encyclopedic knowledge, and his ability to demolish philosophical systems. "He could and did tear things apart in the most devastating and entertaining way; but ... he had a positive message of his own." -- Robert Hutchins. Cohen helped give CCNY in the 1930s its reputation as the "proletarian Harvard", perhaps more than any other faculty member. Cohen Library at CCNY is named in his honor.

Cohen's books include: Reason and Nature (1931, rev. 1953), his major philosophical work; Law and the Social Order (1933); An Introduction to Logic and the Scientific Method, with Ernest Nagel, (1934); The Faith of a Liberal (1945); A Preface to Logic (1945); The Meaning of Human History (1947); and postumously, A Dreamer's Journey (1949), his autobiography; Reason and Law (1950); and American Thought, a Critical Sketch (1954).