Frits Staal
Frits Staal | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 November 1930 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Died | 19 February 2012 (aged 81) Chiangmai, Thailand |
| Father | Jan Frederik Staal |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Amsterdam University of Madras |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | philosophy |
| Sub-discipline | Indian philosophy |
| Institutions | University of London University of Amsterdam University of California, Berkeley |
| Main interests | Vedic ritual and mantras |
| Notable works | Rules without Meaning |
Johan Frederik "Frits" Staal (3 November 1930 – 19 February 2012) was the department founder and Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and South/Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Staal specialized in the study of Vedic ritual and mantras, and the scientific exploration of ritual and mysticism. He was also a scholar of Greek and Indian logic and philosophy and Sanskrit grammar.