Brian Bix remembers Joseph Raz

Some Memories of Joseph:

(1) In preparation for one of my first discussions with Joseph about  my writing (as a D. Phil. student), I had sent him a long  analysis, where I started from notions generally accepted in the  literature, but eventually took a novel position, and I was far from  confident about my argument for that position.   To my surprise, Joseph spent most of our time together challenging me on views I thought were accepted by all -- he kept asking "why think this?"  I quickly learned that convention and consensus  were never acceptable justifications.  As our time was running out, it occurred to me that we had never gotten to the part of the work  I had initially been most worried about.  I asked: "what about that  last part of the argument [where I took this new position}?"  "Oh, that -- that's fine," he said.  I have always associated with Joseph the value  of taking nothing for granted, questioning everything, including -- perhaps especially -- what everyone accepts as true.

(2) It was expected, or at least hoped, that D. Phil. students would finish in three years, though many took longer.  During  my third year, I kept pressing Joseph to find out whether he  thought my thesis would be done by the end of the year.  The pace of chapter revisions and comments increased, and,  at one point, he said:  "OK, revise this chapter [in light of our discussions], and you can submit the thesis."  He quickly added, though:  "But I don't want you to think that this means that the  thesis could not now be made better!"  He wanted his students, I think, never to be entirely satisfied with their work (just as he revisited his own ideas, continually, through his decades of writing).

(3) Everyone knew that Joseph was not a formal dresser. More than once my supervision time with him in his office occurred while he was not wearing shoes and socks.  I do recall once seeing him wearing a tie, and I expressed my surprise. He felt the need to apologize (!), stating that he had just had to do a talk with the BBC.

Professor Brian Bix, University of Minnesota