E.D. Hirsch Jr. was an American philosopher who argued that a shared body of knowledge is necessary for effective communication and a well-functioning democratic society. He coined the term "cultural literacy" to describe the core of information needed to comprehend written text. Hirsch founded the Core Knowledge Foundation to establish what all students should know in key subject areas. While advocates say this approach provides equal opportunity, critics argue it is elitist and subjective in deciding what knowledge is most important to teach. The debate over cultural literacy and its role in education continues today.