1934 – 1999
George Molnar (1934–1999) was an Australian analytic philosopher best known for his work on the metaphysics of powers and dispositions. His posthumously published treatise, completed by Stephen Mumford, became a foundational text in the contemporary revival of powers-based ontology. He also contributed to debates on truthmakers and the ontology of negative facts.
Authored 'Powers: A Study in Metaphysics' (2003), a landmark posthumous work in analytic metaphysics
Developed an influential account of powers as intrinsic, directed properties of objects
Contributed to the truthmaker debate, particularly on negative truths and optimalism
Advanced the view that dispositions are irreducible and not to be analyzed in purely conditional terms
Helped lay the groundwork for the contemporary powers ontology tradition continued by Mumford, Bird, and others