John Searle

I have permission from the writer to post this. It was forwarded to me by Tom Nagel. Let me add that I have spoken at length to other philosophers accused of this and that in  the last twelve years: Peter Ludlow, Thomas Pogge, Jeff Ketland. My conclusion has been that none of these accusations has any merit (I say nothing of my case, on which I cannot comment for legal reasons). By my calculations that makes four cases of not guilty and zero of guilty. I wonder what the philosophy profession makes of that.

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From: Jennifer Hudin [[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2025 6:38 PM
Subject: John Searle

Dear Professor…
I am Jennifer Hudin, John Searle’s secretary of 40 years.  I am writing to tell you that John died last week on the 17th of September.  The last two years of his life were hellish. HIs daughter–in-law, Andrea (Tom’s wife) took him to Tampa in 2024 and put him in a nursing home from which he never returned.  She emptied his house in Berkeley and put it on the rental market.  And no one was allowed to contact John, even to send him a birthday card on his birthday.
It is for us, those who cared about John, deeply sad.
I know you are aware of his final months at U.C. Berkeley when a female accused him (and me) of Title IX violations.  This was extremely hard on John.  The news no one knows is that after an extensive and intrusive investigation, these allegations were never found to be true.  I was found 100% innocent of all allegations, and John’s emeritus status was removed because the Chancellor at the time, Carol Christ, found the not guilty verdict of the academic senate incorrect in her opinion. and reversed it herself.  The two judges in the case both quit and wished me luck in restoring my life.
John never recovered.
There will be no memorial on campus honoring John’s 60+ years of dedication and work at U.C. Berkeley.  The Dominican University of Philosophy and Theology  in Berkeley is trying to organize a memorial.

John was innocent and falsely accused. To the very end of his time on campus, he held his dignity intact.  I know you and he were friends, and I thought you might like to know more details about his life and death.  If you wish to know more, I am happy to oblige.

Best wishes,
Jennifer Hudin
Berkeley , CA