Mary Midgley on What Matters

Conversations on Science, Ethics, and Nature

Häftad, Engelska, 2026

248 kr

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Beskrivning

Mary Midgley (1919–2018) stands as one of the most influential and wide-ranging moral philosophers of the twentieth century.For more than four decades, she championed the relevance of philosophy to everyday life, while making profound contributions to debates on human nature, ethics, animals and the environment, science, religion, and other pressing real-world issues. Her extraordinary career produced over 250 works - books, articles, pamphlets, and more - culminating in What Is Philosophy For?, published at the age of 99, just one month before her death. This final work completed a remarkable late-career series that secured her reputation as a distinctive voice and a powerful example of women’s enduring presence in philosophy.Mary Midgley on What Matters offers an intimate glimpse into this vibrant period of Midgley’s life. Drawing on a series of visits and conversations between Gregory McElwain and Midgley at her Newcastle home from 2011 to 2018, the book presents her reflections, anecdotes, and concerns on the themes for which she is best known - with particular attention to her influential views on animals and the environment. Framed and curated by McElwain, these dialogues capture Midgley’s wit, warmth, and intellectual vitality, giving readers the rare experience of engaging with one of the most spirited philosophers of recent memory.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2026-12-10
Mått:138 x 216 x 25 mm
Vikt:454 g
Format:Häftad
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:208
Förlag:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN:9781350268722

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Mer om författaren

Mary Midgley was Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Philosophy, Newcastle University, UK. One of the leading moral philosophers of the 20th century, Midgley has written extensively on human nature, science, ethics, animals, and the environment. Her books include Beast and Man, Heart and Mind, Animals and Why They Matter, Are You an Illusion? and her final magnum opus, What is Philosophy For? (Bloomsbury, 2018).Gregory McElwain is Associate Professor and Chair of Philosophy and Religious Studies at The College of Idaho, USA. His research focuses on the thought of Mary Midgley and the intersection of animal and environmental ethics. He is author of Mary Midgley: An Introduction (Bloomsbury, 2019) and collaborated with Midgley during the final years of her life.

Recensioner i media

This unique book provides a personal perspective into the original, wide-ranging, and underappreciated work of Mary Midgley. McElwain’s interviews and personal reflections flesh out Midgley’s insights about topics ranging from the metaphysical to the concrete. They also shed light on the biographical and historical context in which she worked, especially her role in the influential “quartet” along with G.E.M. Anscombe, Philippa Foot, and Iris Murdoch.

Innehållsförteckning

Acknowledgments1. Conversations in Newcastle2. Human Nature and The Self3. Morality in Context4. Animals and Our Connection to Nature5. Science and Religion6. FarewellBibliography