Prof. Dr. İoanna Kuçuradi passes away at 89

Prof. Dr. İoanna Kuçuradi, known for her work in the fields of philosophy, ethics, and human rights in Turkey, has passed away at the age of 89.

Kuçuradi, who served as the President of the Philosophical Society of Turkey and Honorary President of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP), died at the Maltepe University Faculty of Medicine Training and Research Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment for some time.

Throughout her academic career, Kuçuradi worked on human rights, ethics, and the philosophy of the human being, and was among the figures who contributed to the institutionalization of philosophy education in Turkey.

A LONG CAREER IN PHILOSOPHY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Born in Istanbul on October 4, 1936, İoanna Kuçuradi graduated from the Zappeion Greek High School in 1954. After graduating from the Department of Philosophy at Istanbul University in 1959, Kuçuradi began her academic career as an assistant to Prof. Dr. Takiyettin Mengüşoğlu.

Kuçuradi, who received her doctorate in 1965 with her thesis titled "The Problem of the Human Being in Schopenhauer and Nietzsche," worked at Erzurum Atatürk University between 1965 and 1968. Moving to Hacettepe University in 1969, she took part in the establishment of the philosophy department there and served as its chair for many years.

Kuçuradi, who became an associate professor in 1970 and a professor in 1978, continued her role as the Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Hacettepe University until her retirement in 2003. Starting in 1997, she took on the directorship of the Maltepe University Center for Research and Application of Human Rights and Philosophy; she also chaired the UNESCO Chair within the same center.

As one of the founding members of the Philosophical Society of Turkey, Kuçuradi served as the general secretary of the organization between 1974 and 1980. From 1980 onwards, she continued to serve as the President of the Philosophical Society of Turkey.

Kuçuradi also undertook significant roles on the international stage, being elected to the FISP board of directors in 1983. She served as general secretary of the federation between 1988 and 1998, and as president between 1998 and 2003; she later became honorary president.

Kuçuradi, who also served at the Paris-based International Institute of Philosophy, held the presidency of the institute between 2014 and 2017. Known for her work in human rights education and ethics, Kuçuradi was awarded the "Senate Special Award" by Middle East Technical University in 2015.

News Source: 12punto