Philosopher, educator and controversial President of Boston University, John Silber (born 1926) was an internationally recognized authority on ethics, education and the philosophy of Immanuel Kant.

John Silber was born August 15, 1926, in San Antonio, Texas, the second son of Paul G. Silber, a German-American architect, and Jewell Joslin Silber, an elementary school teacher. His family was economically comfortable until, like most all middle-class American families, the Great Depression of the 1930s depleted their earning sources. The Silbers were a proud family and the father refused to relinquish the practice of architecture despite the absence of demand brought upon by the depression. This under-employment made it necessary for the mother to teach grammar school in order to keep the family fed and clothed.

The atmosphere of the Silber household was one of gentility and culture. There were constant reminders not to allow their financial status to interfere with the diligent...