Abner E. Shimony *62

Abner Shimony, who earned doctorates in philosophy and physics and was a professor in both fields, died Aug. 8, 2015. He was 87.

Shimony graduated summa cum laude in mathematics and philosophy from Yale in 1948, and earned a Ph.D. in philosophy in 1953. After Army service, he entered Princeton in 1955 and studied with Nobel laureate Eugene Wigner, completing a Ph.D. in physics in 1962.

He taught the philosophy of science at MIT from 1959 to 1968. He then joined Boston University with an appointment in both the physics and philosophy departments. After 26 years, he retired as professor emeritus.

He advocated and researched the connections of physics and philosophy, despite the common opinion that they were separate disciplines. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1985, and was president of the Philosophy of Science Association. In 1996 he received the Lakatos Award.

Shimony was predeceased in 1995 by Annemarie, his wife of 44 years. In 1997, he married Helen-Claire, who died in 2001. In 2005 he married Manana, who survives him. He is also survived by two sons and a stepson.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.