Charles Frankel
| Charles Frankel | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 13, 1917 New York City, U.S. |
| Died |
May 10, 1979 (aged 61) Bedford Hills, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Diplomat, philosopher |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Beatrice Lehman |
| Children | 1 son, 1 daughter |
Charles Frankel (December 13, 1917 – May 10, 1979) was an American philosopher, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State, professor and founding director of the National Humanities Center.
Born into a Jewish family in New York City, U.S., he was the son of Abraham Philip and Estelle Edith (Cohen) Frankel. Frankel was educated at Columbia, (A.B. with honors, 1937, Ph.D., 1946) and Cornell Universities (graduate study, 1937–38). Frankel then served in the U.S. Navy from 1942–46, becoming a lieutenant.
Frankel wrote on value theory, social philosophy and philosophy of history. During the Johnson Administration he served as an Assistant Secretary of State in charge of education and culture (1965-1967), but resigned in protest of the Vietnam War.
In 1978 Frankel became the first president and founding director of the National Humanities Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. He held this role until his death in 1979.
In recognition of his efforts, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awarded the Charles Frankel Prize from 1989 to 1996 to individuals making "outstanding contributions to the public's understanding of the humanities." A list of honorees can be found at the NEH website. In 1997 the prize was renamed The National Humanities Medal.
During an interview and Q&A session at Harvard-Westlake School on January 19, 2010, American business magnate Charlie Munger referred to Frankel in his discussion on the US financial crisis of 2007-08 and the philosophy of responsibility. Munger explained that Frankel believed:
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