Paul Woodruff

American philosopher (1943–2023)

Paul Bestor Woodruff (August 28, 1943 – September 23, 2023) was an American classicist, professor of philosophy, and was dean at The University of Texas at Austin, where he once chaired the department of philosophy and has more recently held the Hayden Head Regents Chair as director of Plan II Honors program, which he resigned in 2006 after 15 years of service. On September 21, 2006, University President William C. Powers, Jr. named Dr. Woodruff the inaugural dean of undergraduate studies. He is best known for his work on Socrates, Plato, and philosophy of theater. A beloved professor, he taught courses outside his Ancient Greek Philosophy specialty, including literature courses and specialty seminars, often for the Plan II program.

Born in New Jersey (though raised in western Pennsylvania), Woodruff attended Princeton University, where he completed a major in classics in 1965. His studies then took him to Merton College of Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar, where he completed a bachelor's degree in Literae Humaniores in 1968. Inspired by the Socratic beliefs on rule of law, he served in the United States Army in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1971, during which time he attained the rank of captain. Returning to the United States, he again attended Princeton University, where he completed his doctorate in philosophy, studying under Gregory Vlastos. Woodruff joined the department of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin in 1973, retiring from the department in the fall of 2022. In 1974 he married Lucia Woodruff and they had two children (Rachel Woodruff in 1975, and Katherine Lange in 1977) and now have six grandchildren (Jane Lange 2005 (deceased), Zora Daniel 2008, Megan Lange 2009, Sofia Daniel 2011, Cora Lange 2012, and Ruth Lange (2015)). Woodruff later published an essay in The Washington Post describing his philosophy of life as he faced death, as the result of bronchiectasis. He died from the condition on September 23, 2023, at the age of 80.