Rudolph Krejci

Rudolph Krejci (; 4 March 1929 – 9 December 2018) was a Czech-American philosopher and professor, who was the founder of the Philosophy and Humanities Programs at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and founder and first dean of the university's College of Arts and Sciences in 1975. In 1997, after 37 years at the university, Krejci became Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Humanities.

Biography

Rudolph Krejci was born in Hrušky, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) in 1929. In May 1954, with the help of his father, he escaped Czechoslovakia hiding in a coffin under a coal wagon covered with vinegar and mustard, and made it to Vienna, Austria. From 1954 to 1959 Krejčí studied at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, majoring in philosophy, psychology, Russian history and literature. In 1959 he became a Doctor of Philosophy.

Krejci's career with the university almost ended during a political dispute with former University of Alaska president William Ransom Wood regarding Project Chariot, a scheme by the federal government to detonate up to six nuclear explosions along the northwest coast of Alaska to create a new deep water harbour for future mineral extraction. In response to Krejci's opposition to the project, Krejci said that "Wood came to me and told me: "If you go on as you do now, there is only one way, one way from Alaska, direct, down to lower states." As a result of Krejci's opposition, Project Chariot never happened.

Philosophy work and ideology Krejci was a life-long opponent of Nazism and Communism, and was a vocal supporter of intellectual and cultural freedom, even when his personal safety and freedom were threatened.

Krejci lectured on philosophy in the US, Canada, England, Europe and Asia and cooperated with the International Wittgenstein Symposium in Kirchberg, Austria, Siu's panetics in Washington D.C., Viktor Frankl's logotherapy in Vienna, and Takashima's humanistic anthropology in Tokyo. In 1997 Krejci became Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Humanities after 37 years of service at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Publications T.G.Masaryk – common denominatior of our cultural-political aims: Union of Fine Arts (SVU), answer to Václav Havel's Charter 77, Washington D.C., USA, 1978. Problem of the philosophical interpretation of African Humanities: University of California and Los Angeles (UCLA) – 1978. Re-emergence of the concept of consciousness in 20th Century Science and Philosophy: 9th International Wittgenstein Symposium, Kirchberg, Austria, 1984. Contemporary Philosophy and its foundations: 10th International Wittgenstein Symposium, Kirchberg, Austria, 1985. Concrete Logic of T.G. Masaryk – Yesterday and Today: 11th International Wittgenstein Symposium, Kirchberg, Austria, 1986. Apologia Philosophiae: Tokio – Dr. Takashima Institute, 1989. Realism and Anti-realism in the Philosophy of Science: Beiging International Conference of Philosophy and Science, Vol. 169, published in Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1992 From Quantum and the Tao to Panetics, Trilogy and Panetics: International Conference of Dr. Siu’s Panetics, Washington D.C., USA, 1991. Rehabilitation Ceremony during the Commencement of UA Fairbanks in May 1993. After 30 years the leading scientist at project Chariot, Dr. Pruitt and Dr. Viereck were given an Honorary Doctorate for their contribution to Science. From left to right: Dr. Roederer, Dr. Krejci, Mrs and Dr. Pruittthumb Memorial stone in Hubenov, Czech Republic, erected in front of local public school in honour of this event in 2013. Translation: "One hour before the end of the war, exactly at this place, Antonín Novák was shot by SS soldiers. His fellow friend Rudolf Krejčí survived, in order to continue fight against violence. Now he is a professor of Philosophy at University of Alaska in Fairbanks."