Thomas Malcolm Knox facts for kids

Sir Thomas Malcolm Knox was an important British philosopher. He led the University of St Andrews as its Principal from 1953 to 1966. He also served as a Vice-president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a famous group for scientists and thinkers.

Who Was Sir Malcolm Knox?

Sir Malcolm Knox was born on November 28, 1900, in Birkenhead, England. His father, James Knox, was a Scottish minister.

His Education and Early Career

He went to school at Bury Grammar School and the Liverpool Institute. Later, he studied at Pembroke College, Oxford. There, he earned a top degree in "Literae Humaniores." This subject covered important topics like history, philosophy, and classical languages.

After university, he worked for Lord Leverhulme at a large company called Lever Brothers. He even managed their business in West Africa for a time.

Becoming a Professor

In 1931, Sir Malcolm became a Bursar-Fellow and lecturer in philosophy at Jesus College, Oxford. A Bursar-Fellow is someone who helps manage the college's money and also teaches.

His ideas about philosophy were a bit different from others at Oxford. So, in 1936, he moved to St Andrews University. He became a Professor of Moral Philosophy there. He also served as a deputy principal and head of his department.

Leading St Andrews University

Because of his experience, Sir Malcolm was chosen to be the acting principal of St Andrews University in 1952. He became the official Principal in 1953.

One of his biggest jobs was to manage the two parts of the university. One part was in St Andrews, and the other was in Dundee (called Queen's College). He tried to keep them together. However, he later realized they needed to be separate.

In 1967, Queen's College became its own university, the University of Dundee. Sir Malcolm felt it was right to step down from his role after this change.

His Work as a Philosopher

Sir Malcolm Knox was well-known for his work on the philosopher Hegel. He translated Hegel's writings and wrote comments about them. He also edited the works of another philosopher, R.G. Collingwood.

His important work was recognized when he received an honorary degree from the University of Glasgow. In 1955, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He later served as the Society's Vice President from 1975 to 1978.

Views on New Universities

Sir Malcolm had strong opinions about new universities being created in Scotland in the 1960s. He believed universities should have old roots and include subjects like divinity (the study of religion).

He was okay with the idea of the University of Dundee and the University of Stirling. However, he did not agree with turning technical colleges into universities, like the University of Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt University.

Knighthood and Later Life

Queen Elizabeth II made him a knight in 1961. This means he was given the title "Sir."

After he retired, he continued to write books and articles. He kept working on translations of Hegel's writings.

Some of his important papers are kept at the University of Dundee. Letters he wrote are also held at the University of St Andrews.

Sir Malcolm Knox passed away on April 6, 1980.

His Family Life

Sir Malcolm Knox was married three times. His first wife was Margaret Normana MacLeod Smith. After she passed away in 1930, he married Dorothy Ellen Jolly, who died in 1974. Finally, he married Joan Mary Winifred Sumner, who lived longer than him.