Faculty/Staff

• Research Professor, Philosophy

First Year at Xavier University:

1961

Degrees:

• Ph.D. (St. Louis University)

Expertise:

American Philosophy, Royce, James, Dewey, Peirce, Jesuitica, Ignatius Loyola

Biography:

Frank Oppenheim was born in Coldwater, Ohio, in 1925, received his BA (classics) from Xavier University; MA (philosophy) and SThL (theology) from Loyola University, Chicago; and his PhD (philosophy) from St. Louis University, where he studied with James Collins, George Klubertanz, S.J., and Leonard Eslick. Ordained to priesthook in 1955, he began teaching at Xavier in 1961 in its department of philosophy (philosophical anthropology, ethics, history of modern philosophy, business ethics). With several leaves of absence, he continued teaching at Xavier until 2003, when he was appointed Research Professor in Philosophy there.

In 1976-77 he taught philosophy in Africa at St. Paul's Seminary in Wau of the S. Sudan. He specializes in American philosopher of community, Josiah Royce (1855-1916), and in other American philosophers. Besides numerous articles, Oppenheim's published books include Royce's Voyage Down Under: A Journey of the Mind (1980); Royce's Mature Philosophy of Religion (1987); and Royce's Mature Ethics (1993). He co-edited Royce's 1915-1916 Metaphysics (1999) and edited two volumes of Josiah Royce's Late Writings (2001). His magnum opus, entitled Reverence for the Relations of Life: Re-imagining Pragmatism via Josiah Royce's Interactions with Peirce, James and Dewey, was published by the University of Notre Dame Press in 2004.

Prof. Oppenheim currently resides in Michigan.