Mary Midgley
1919-2018
24th November 2018
It was with great sadness that we learned of Mary Midgley’s death. She was the last survivor of our Quartet, and the North Star of our parent project, In Parenthesis. Her last book, What Is Philosophy For?, had come out barely three weeks earlier; she was scheduled to give a talk at the Royal Institute of Philosophy on 9thNovember 2018 as part of the London Lecture Series celebrating her work and that of the other members of the Quartet – Foot, Anscombe, Murdoch; and the next day she was due to take part in the launch of the Midgley Archives, at Durham University.
Here is a selection of obituaries, reflections, and broadcasts.
Institute of Arts and Ideas (aka How The Light Gets In). Obituary by Rachael Wiseman and Clare Mac Cumhaill, founders of the In Parenthesisproject.
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Feminist Philosophers Blog. Obituary by Ian Kidd. Go directly to the text here.
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The Guardian. Obituary by Jane Heal.
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Unherd. Reflections on Mary by Giles Fraser.
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Last Word, BBC Radio 4. Interview with David Midgley, one of Mary’s three sons, with soundbites from Mary.
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Freethinking – BBC Radio 3. Interview with In Parenthesis founders Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman on Mary and a previously unbroadcast radio talk by her.
Royal Institute of Philosophy tribute sessionin lieu of Mary’s scheduled appearance.