# George Molnar (philosopher)

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Hungarian-born philosopher

For the cartoonist and architecture lecturer, see [George Molnar](/source/George_Molnar).

**George Molnar** (1934–1999) was a [Hungarian](/source/Kingdom_of_Hungary_(1920%E2%80%931946))-born [philosopher](/source/Philosopher) whose principal area of interest was [metaphysics](/source/Metaphysics). He worked mainly in the Philosophy Department at the [University of Sydney](/source/University_of_Sydney) but resided in [England](/source/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](/source/Powers%3A_A_Study_in_Metaphysics)* was published posthumously in 2003.

## Early life

Molnar was a [Holocaust survivor](/source/Holocaust_survivor). His parents were [middle-class](/source/Middle-class) [Jews](/source/Jews) resident in [Budapest](/source/Budapest). His father Imre deserted baby George and his mother Rosa before [World War II](/source/World_War_II) and emigrated to Australia with his secretary Mimi,[1]: 21–26 leaving them in Budapest during the Nazi occupation and the [Siege of Budapest](/source/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](/source/Australia).[2]

## Education

Molnar studied economics at the [University of Sydney](/source/University_of_Sydney) and switched to philosophy in his final year, under the [Australian realist](/source/Australian_realist) philosopher [John Anderson](/source/John_Anderson_(philosopher)).[2] He was later to be appointed as John Anderson Senior Research Fellow.[3]

## 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](/source/Sydney_Push).[4] Along with philosophers David J. Ivison, Roelof Smilde, Darcy Waters and Jim Baker, Molnar was a contributor to the libertarian *Broadsheet*.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Molnar's writing was published in the British [anarchist](/source/Anarchist) periodicals *[Freedom](/source/Freedom_(British_newspaper))* and *[Anarchy](/source/Anarchy_(magazine))* 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](/source/Authoritarian) forces in society.[5]

Philosophers and libertarians who frequented the racecourse knew Molnar as a fervid gambler. His other interests included [philately](/source/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.[2]

In the 1970s Molnar was active in philosophy department disturbances.[6] 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](/source/Big_Flame_(political_group)).[1]: 98

In 1982 he returned to Sydney, joined the Department of Veterans' Affairs and became active in the Administrative and Clerical Officers Association (ACOA),[1]: 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](/source/Stephen_Mumford) at the [University of Nottingham](/source/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*,[2] with a foreword by [David Armstrong](/source/David_Malet_Armstrong). Its publisher, [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press), wrote "This is contemporary metaphysics of the highest quality."[7]

In 2019 a collection of 19 personal memoirs was published under the title *George Molnar: Politics and Passions of a Sydney Philosopher*,[1] 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. 54–5

- "The Nature of Moralism", *Sydney Libertarians Broadsheet* 48, May 1966, pp. 1–4

- "The Sexual Revolution", *Sydney Libertarians Broadsheet* 39, September 1964, pp. 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. 185–97

- "Kneale's Article Revisited", *Philosophical Review* 78 (1969), pp. 79–89

- "Are Dispositions Reducible?", *Philosophical Quarterly* 49 (1999), pp. 1–17

- "Truthmakers for Negative Truths", *Australasian Journal of Philosophy* 78 (2000), pp. 72–86

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-memoirs_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-memoirs_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-memoirs_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-memoirs_1-3) McIntosh, Carlotta, ed. (2019). *George Molnar: Politics and Passions of a Sydney Philosopher*. Tascott, NSW: Beaujon Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9803653-2-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9803653-2-0).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-varga_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-varga_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-varga_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-varga_2-3) Varga S. [Twice the man](http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/08/1060145848387.html), *[Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald)* 9 August 2003

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Cole C. "[A difficult legacy](http://www.alumni.sydney.edu.au/s/965/images/editor_documents/alumni-magazine/09-winter/sam-winter09-philosophy.pdf)" Article on Anderson in *Sydney Alumni Magazine* (SAM), Winter 2009, p. 34 (fol. 32)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Baker A. J.](/source/A._J._Baker_(philosopher)) [Sydney Libertarianism and the Push](http://www.takver.com/history/aia/aia00026.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** White, Stuart (2013). ["Social Anarchism, Lifestyle Anarchism, and the Anarchism of Colin Ward"](https://muse.jhu.edu/chapter/1307480). In Levy, Carl (ed.). *Colin Ward: Life, Times and Thought*. Lawrence & Wishart. pp. 119–20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Franklin J.](/source/James_Franklin_(philosopher)) [The Sydney Philosophy Disturbances](http://web.maths.unsw.edu.au/~jim/sydq.html) in *[Quadrant](/source/Quadrant_(magazine))* v.43 (4) (Apr, 1999), pp 16-21

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Powers: A Study in Metaphysics](http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199204175.do) Oxford University Press, 30 November 2006. Accessed 15 March 2012

## Further reading

- [Baker, A. J.](/source/A._J._Baker), ["Sydney Libertarianism and the Push"](http://www.takver.com/history/aia/aia00026.htm) or at ["Sydney Libertarians and the Push"](https://www.nealemorison.com/wlmorison/sydlib.html) 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: *'Free-living philosopher revelled in paradox*', The Australian (newspaper), 15 Sept. 1999,

- Weblin, Mark: *The Sydney Line; The Andersonians*, 2012

- Professor David Armstrong, review - *Powers: A Study in Metaphysics* [\[1\]](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* [\[2\]](http://www.shaviro.com/Blog/?p=977)

- Hardy, Rosa (was Molnar) *The Tragedy of My Life,* 1952, (unpublished manuscript). [Sydney Jewish Museum](/source/Sydney_Jewish_Museum)

- Honi Soit, 1 October 1970 *Molnar Attacks Santamaria*, page 1

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