Once again, I would like to take this opportunity to thank some of the many people who have made Legal Theory Blog and my other academic work possible. This year, I would like to recognize my teachers and mentors in the philosophy department at UCLA--where I studied in the late 70s and early 80s. I am especially grateful to:
- Robert Adams--for his Leibniz and for being a model of clarity and precision.
- Rogers Albritton--who taught me more about how to "do philosophy" than anyone else.
- Tyler Burge--for his course on Quine, which I have used in more ways that I could ever have imagined.
- Philippa Foot--who opened my eyes to Aristotle's ethics and much else.
- Jean Hampton--for introducing me to the philosophy of law and for her marvelous seminar on Rawls and Nozick, for my introduction to Kant, and most especially for hours and hours of generous conversation.
- Thomas Hill--for providing a map of normative theory that I use almost every day.
- Greg Kavka--whose course on utilitarianism became my model for truly great teaching and systematic thinking.
- Warren Quinn--whose deep intellect and commitment to "getting it right" provided a model that I struggle to emulate.
Rogers Albritton passed away after living a long and full life, but Jean Hampton, Greg Kavka, and Warren Quinn were taken before their time. Only Tyler Burge is still at UCLA. It was a very special place, and I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to spend some time there.
