b. 1933
Robert Paul Wolff (b. 1933) is an American political philosopher best known for his anarchist critique of political authority. His 1970 work 'In Defense of Anarchism' argues that genuine moral autonomy is irreconcilable with the obligation to obey the state, making legitimate political authority philosophically impossible. He has also written extensively on Kant and critical assessments of liberal political theory.
Developed the autonomy-based argument against the possibility of legitimate state authority in 'In Defense of Anarchism' (1970)
Argued that moral autonomy requires the individual to be the final judge of all obligations, precluding unconditional deference to political authority
Produced a critical analysis of Rawlsian liberalism in 'Understanding Rawls' (1977)
Authored 'The Poverty of Liberalism' (1968), challenging core assumptions of liberal political theory
Contributed to Kant scholarship through 'Kant's Theory of Mental Activity' (1963)