Ian Hacking, a renowned Canadian philosopher who made significant contributions to the fields of science, mathematics, and probability, as well as to social issues like race and mental health, passed away at 87 years old in Toronto. Hacking was a professor in the philosophy department of the University of Toronto for more than two decades, in addition to holding previous positions at Cambridge and Stanford. Described as a bridge builder because he could span multiple academic fields, Hacking wrote several acclaimed books including “The Taming of Chance” and “The Emergence of Probability.” He received numerous honors, including the Holberg Prize in 2009 and was the first Anglophone to hold a permanent position at the Collège de France in Paris. Hacking is also known for his emphasis on historical context, showing how science is a human enterprise and the significance of categories of people created by human sciences. Similar to his philosophical work, Hacking investigated transient mental illnesses that die out with changing times. Hacking’s intellectual curiosity remained as strong as ever, even in retirement. His daughter Jane Hacking said his death was due to heart failure.
