Mary Midgley

For over 40 years, Mary Midgley made a forceful case for the relevance and importance of philosophy. With characteristic wit and wisdom, she drew special attention to the ways in which our thought influences our everyday lives. Her wide-ranging explorations of human nature and the self; our connections with animals and the natural world; and the complexities of morality, gender, science, and religion all contributed to her reputation as one of the most expansive and compelling moral philosophers of the twentieth century.

Mary Midgley: An Introduction is the first substantive introduction to Midgley’s influential philosophy on the human condition.

This volume, supplemented by original interviews with Midgley, outlines the concepts and perspectives for which she is best known and illuminates the philosophical problems to which she devoted her life’s work.

Author Biography

Gregory S. McElwain is Associate Professor and Chair of Philosophy and Religious Studies at The College of Idaho, USA.

Mary Midgley was Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at 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 Wickedness (2001), Beast and Man (2002), Heart and Mind (2003), Animals and Why They Matter (2006), Are You an Illusion? (2014), and What is Philosophy For? (Bloomsbury, 2018).