{{Short description|Hungarian-born philosopher}} {{for|the cartoonist and architecture lecturer|George Molnar}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''George Molnar''' (1934–1999) was a [[Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)|Hungarian]]-born [[philosopher]] whose principal area of interest was [[metaphysics]]. He worked mainly in the Philosophy Department at the [[University of Sydney]] but resided in [[England]] from 1976 to 1982. He published four philosophical papers in two separate spells; the first two in the 1960s and the second two after a return to the profession in the 1990s. His book ''[[Powers: A Study in Metaphysics]]'' was published posthumously in 2003.

== Early life == Molnar was a [[Holocaust survivor]]. His parents were [[middle-class]] [[Jews]] resident in [[Budapest]]. His father Imre deserted baby George and his mother Rosa before [[World War II]] and emigrated to Australia with his secretary Mimi,<ref name="memoirs">{{Cite book |title=George Molnar: Politics and Passions of a Sydney Philosopher |publisher=Beaujon Press |year=2019 |isbn=978-0-9803653-2-0 |editor-last=McIntosh |editor-first=Carlotta |location=Tascott, NSW}}</ref>{{rp|21–26}} leaving them in Budapest during the Nazi occupation and the [[Siege of Budapest]]. Rosa and George escaped from Hungary after the war in 1949 and were stateless refugees in Europe until 1951 when they arrived in [[Australia]].<ref name="varga" />

== Education == Molnar studied economics at the [[University of Sydney]] and switched to philosophy in his final year, under the [[Australian realist]] philosopher [[John Anderson (philosopher)|John Anderson]].<ref name="varga" /> He was later to be appointed as John Anderson Senior Research Fellow.<ref>Cole C. "[http://www.alumni.sydney.edu.au/s/965/images/editor_documents/alumni-magazine/09-winter/sam-winter09-philosophy.pdf A difficult legacy]" Article on Anderson in ''Sydney Alumni Magazine'' (SAM), Winter 2009, p. 34 (fol. 32)</ref>

==Career== In the 1950s and 1960s Molnar was a prominent member of the Libertarian Society at Sydney University and an influential academic member of the [[Sydney Push]].<ref>[[A. J. Baker (philosopher)|Baker A. J.]] [http://www.takver.com/history/aia/aia00026.htm Sydney Libertarianism and the Push]</ref> Along with philosophers David J. Ivison, Roelof Smilde, Darcy Waters and Jim Baker, Molnar was a contributor to the libertarian ''Broadsheet''.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

Molnar's writing was published in the British [[anarchist]] periodicals ''[[Freedom (British newspaper)|Freedom]]'' and ''[[Anarchy (magazine)|Anarchy]]'' in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In a 1961 article in ''Anarchy'', he argued that an anarchist society was probably impossible, and that the anarchist movement ought to aim to be a "permanent opposition" to [[authoritarian]] forces in society.<ref>{{cite book|last=White|first=Stuart|chapter=Social Anarchism, Lifestyle Anarchism, and the Anarchism of Colin Ward|chapter-url=https://muse.jhu.edu/chapter/1307480|pages=119–20|title=Colin Ward: Life, Times and Thought|editor-first=Carl|editor-last=Levy|publisher=Lawrence & Wishart|year=2013}}</ref>

Philosophers and libertarians who frequented the racecourse knew Molnar as a fervid gambler. His other interests included [[philately]] and early Australian colonial history (particularly the railway systems). At various times he was a taxi-driver, tram-conductor, union advocate and public servant.<ref name="varga" />

In the 1970s Molnar was active in philosophy department disturbances.<ref>[[James Franklin (philosopher)|Franklin J.]] [http://web.maths.unsw.edu.au/~jim/sydq.html The Sydney Philosophy Disturbances] in ''[[Quadrant (magazine)|Quadrant]]'' v.43 (4) (Apr, 1999), pp 16-21</ref> He taught philosophy at Sydney University until he resigned in 1976 and moved to the UK. While living in a libertarian-style commune in Leeds, according to contemporary activist Max Farrar, Molnar became a member of the Marxist movement [[Big Flame (political group)|Big Flame]].<ref name=memoirs/>{{rp|98}}

In 1982 he returned to Sydney, joined the Department of Veterans' Affairs and became active in the Administrative and Clerical Officers Association (ACOA),<ref name=memoirs/>{{rp|35–41}} later returning to Sydney University as a part-time tutor.

==Publications== An infrequent but influential publisher of articles and material, Molnar was working on a book at the time of his death. He was in email contact with [[Stephen Mumford]] at the [[University of Nottingham]], who acted as archivist of his work, edited the book and saw it through to publication in 2003 under the title ''Powers: A Study in Metaphysics'',<ref name=varga>Varga S. [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/08/1060145848387.html Twice the man], ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'' 9 August 2003</ref> with a foreword by [[David Malet Armstrong|David Armstrong]]. Its publisher, [[Oxford University Press]], wrote "This is contemporary metaphysics of the highest quality."<ref>[http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199204175.do Powers: A Study in Metaphysics] Oxford University Press, 30 November 2006. Accessed 15 March 2012</ref>

In 2019 a collection of 19 personal memoirs was published under the title ''George Molnar: Politics and Passions of a Sydney Philosopher'',<ref name=memoirs/> collated and edited by his partner of 20 years Carlotta McIntosh.

== Bibliography ==

=== Books === * Molnar, George. ''Powers: A Study in Metaphysics'', edited by Stephen Mumford, Oxford University Press, 2003

=== Articles === * "Sexual Freedom in the Orr Case", ''Australian Highway'' 41 (3) (June 1960): pp.&nbsp;54–5 * "The Nature of Moralism", ''Sydney Libertarians Broadsheet'' 48, May 1966, pp.&nbsp;1–4 * "The Sexual Revolution", ''Sydney Libertarians Broadsheet'' 39, September 1964, pp.&nbsp;1–5 * "Space, Time and the Proposition" (Molnar's edition of the Anderson lectures on Alexander), Sydney University Press, 2005 * "Defeasible Propositions", ''Australian Journal of Philosophy'' 45 (1967), pp.&nbsp;185–97 * "Kneale's Article Revisited", ''Philosophical Review'' 78 (1969), pp.&nbsp;79–89 * "Are Dispositions Reducible?", ''Philosophical Quarterly'' 49 (1999), pp.&nbsp;1–17 * "Truthmakers for Negative Truths", ''Australasian Journal of Philosophy'' 78 (2000), pp.&nbsp;72–86

== References == {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * [[A. J. Baker|Baker, A. J.]], [http://www.takver.com/history/aia/aia00026.htm "Sydney Libertarianism and the Push"] or at [http://www.nealemorison.com/wlmorison/sydlib.html "Sydney Libertarians and the Push"] on Prof. W L Morison memorial site * Farrelly, Elizabeth, ''When the Push Came to Shove,'' Sydney Morning Herald (newspaper)'', 2009.'' *Coombs, Anne, ''Sex and Anarchy: The Life and Death of the Sydney Push'', Ringwood, Vic.: Viking, 1996. * Franklin, James, ''Corrupting the Youth: A History of Philosophy in Australia'', Sydney: Macleay Press, 2003. * Obituary: ''<nowiki/>'Free-living philosopher revelled in paradox''<nowiki/>', The Australian (newspaper), 15 Sept. 1999, *Weblin, Mark: ''The Sydney Line; The Andersonians'', 2012 * Professor David Armstrong, review - ''Powers: A Study in Metaphysics'' [https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/160734257?q=George+Molnar&c=article&versionId=175229419] * Shaviro, Steven, review - ''The Pinocchio Theory - Powers; A Study in Metaphysics'' [http://www.shaviro.com/Blog/?p=977] * Hardy, Rosa (was Molnar) ''The Tragedy of My Life,'' 1952, (unpublished manuscript). [[Sydney Jewish Museum]] * Honi Soit, 1 October 1970 ''Molnar Attacks Santamaria'', page 1

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Molnar, George}} [[Category:1934 births]] [[Category:1991 deaths]] [[Category:Jewish philosophers]] [[Category:20th-century Australian philosophers]] [[Category:Metaphysicians]] [[Category:Hungarian emigrants to Australia]] [[Category:Academic staff of the University of Sydney]] [[Category:Jewish Australian academics]] [[Category:Australian taxi drivers]] [[Category:20th-century Hungarian philosophers]]