Abraham Edel

Who was Abraham Edel?

Abraham Edel was a North American philosopher and ethicist. He was the younger brother of the North American literary critic and biographer Leon Edel, and the uncle of the composer Joel Mandelbaum. He was married three times; his first two wives were fellow academics and co-authors.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he grew up in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Edel attended McGill University, Oxford University and Columbia University. He taught at City College of New York for more than 40 years, and then held a research appointment at the University of Pennsylvania until his death. He was the recipient of numerous academic honors.