Mary Midgley

How many times do we hear the statement 'It’s not for me to judge'? It conveys one of the most popular ideas of our time: that to make judgements of others is essentially wrong. In this classic text, the renowned moral philosopher Mary Midgley turns a spotlight on the ever popular stance in society that we should not make moral...

Why should anybody take an interest in philosophy? Is it just another detailed study like metallurgy? Or is it similar to history, literature and even religion: a study meant to do some personal good and influence our lives? "Engaging and accessible, this vigorous swansong exemplifies many of Midgley's virtues, and revisits many of her favourite themes." - The Tablet In...

With a new Introduction by the author An elegant and sane little book. – The New Statesman Myths, as Mary Midgley argues in this powerful book, are everywhere. In political thought, they sit at the heart of theories of human nature and the social contract; in economics, in the pursuit of self-interest; and in science, the idea of human beings...

Philosophers have traditionally concentrated on the qualities that make human beings different from other species. In Beast and Man, Mary Midgley, one of our foremost intellectuals, stresses continuities. What makes people tick? Largely, she asserts, the same things as animals. She tells us humans are rather more like other animals than we previously allowed ourselves to believe, and reminds us...