Philosophy at Cambridge Newsletter of the Faculty of Philosophy Issue 9 May 2012

ISSN 2046-9632

From the Chair Tim Crane

I took over as Chair of the Faculty from Simon Blackburn on his retirement last year. We said goodbye formally to Simon – shown on the right appreciating one of his retirement gifts – at a lovely party at Trinity in the summer. Fortunately, Simon will still be living in Cambridge for most of the year, so we haven’t lost him altogether. Since then it’s been a busy year. Huw Price has stepped into Simon’s chair (if that is what one does with a chair) and is already making his mark on the Faculty with workshops, conferences and new initiatives, like the new cross-Cambridge Philosophy of Science group (which Huw has named with the catchy acronym ‘CAMPOS’: see our interview on p. 4). But all members of the Faculty have been busy too this year, with what seems to be a record number of conferences on ethics, logic and the philosophy of mind. Details of these events can be found on our website; and of course, Simon Blackburn at his retirement garden party, Trinity College Cambridge Philosophy alumni are always very welcome to attend these. three new lecturers in February. We were philosophy; she comes to Cambridge Richard Holton and Rae Langton from looking to appoint a lecturer in the history from a lectureship at the University of East MIT have been our Faculty Visitors this year, of philosophy (an area where we have not Anglia. Tim is currently a research fellow at and have made a tremendous contribution been strong for a while) and to strengthen St John’s, Cambridge, and did his PhD in in giving talks, attending seminars and just our profile in ethics, especially important the Faculty. He works on metaphysics, being around. Their visit coincides with a since Simon Blackburn’s departure. But logic and the philosophy of language. new collaboration we have set up with we were fortunate that the University We are delighted to welcome these three two philosophy departments – MIT agreed to fund another post in addition, outstanding and energetic philosophers and Harvard – in the ‘other’ Cambridge. to replace one of our senior colleagues to the Faculty, and we hope they will be Members of our Faculty share many who will be retiring soon. very happy here. philosophical interests with members of Our job advert delivered a daunting We are still a small Faculty, with only those departments. Our plan is to have 338 applications. A long and complex 12 permanent lecturers and professors. joint meetings once a year with faculty process ended up with us appointing So together with Huw’s appointment last members and graduate students in all three Paulina Sliwa to the position in ethics, year, these appointments represent the ‘Cambridge’ departments, possibly with an Angela Breitenbach to the history of largest single change in the Faculty’s eye to faculty and graduate exchanges in philosophy job, and Tim Button to the overall composition for decades. Like all the future. Our first discussions came up third position. universities, we face an uncertain future with the name ‘Cambridge-Cambridge’ but Paulina was an undergraduate in Oxford, with the current changes to university Alex Byrne from MIT invented ‘Cambridge2’, and has just finished her PhD at MIT. She funding in the UK in the coming years. which seems to have stuck. works on epistemology and ethics, and It is reassuring that we can enter this The main event of the year, though, has especially on the connections between period as a powerful and dynamic group undoubtedly been the appointment of them. Angela is an expert on Kant’s of philosophers.

Philosophy at Cambridge page 1 May 2012 Medieval Philosophy comes to Cambridge John Marenbon

rejoinder, when John added: “Peter Abelard”. Peter who? I had never heard of the man, but John assured me that Chris had shown how, nearly 800 years before Frege, Abelard had reached a refined understanding of propositional logic. Not only were there the lectures; John himself and Chris had been giving seminars on Abelard’s metaphysics and his philosophy of language. John could see I was a bit crest-fallen. “But we’ve also been studying you” he reassured me, “in our medieval philosophy reading group. We meet weekly, throughout the year. Last term it was your Sophisms. This term it’s Scotus on universals...“ So John went on. But, if medieval philosophy is ‘the sort of stuff I used to do’, then I beg to disagree with his account of medieval philosophy in Cambridge. To my mind, what John does is not medieval philosophy at all, because it is done in an historical spirit, which is characteristically modern. In our time, we read Aristotle, indeed – but we thought of him as our contemporary. What most Jean Buridan by permission of the Jagiellonian Library separates a twenty-first century outlook from a medieval one is historical self- Jean Buridan discusses medieval – “called When was Medieval Philosophy? consciousness. But there is plenty of genuine medieval philosophy in philosophy at Cambridge. I argued that, in one sense, it was now – because we have to make it Cambridge. It’s what all of the the Faculty “Will you write a piece for our newsletter?” comprehensible to us today, and in (except John and one or two others) the Cambridge Philosophy Faculty asked another sense, never, because the do most of the time. They are are all me. In my day – nearly 700 years ago, usual period boundaries – 500–1500 scholastics like me, delighting in the Paris, where I taught, was of course, the or thereabouts, don’t make much sense”. same sort of intricate problems, precise best place. We took Oxford seriously, but “What was your main point?” I asked, reasoning and technical language. Like Cambridge – please readers, don’t be sensing a danger that he would repeat me, they see a training in logic as the offended – was a real backwater: a few the whole lecture verbatim. He answered: beginning of all good philosophizing and, discontented masters, camping out near “Although a philosophical training is like me too, nothing in the end fascinates the fens. It’s all different now. On the needed to understand and present most of them more than really difficult banks of the Seine they talk nonsense philosophy from the past, history of logical problems. At their lectures I feel when they are not on strike, while it philosophy is an historical exercise, from completely at home (sometimes, indeed, was here in Cambridge, that people which philosophers must not expect to I said the same things myself long ago). first started, nearly a century ago, doing find arguments they can use now, but But please, please, don’t make me go and again what I recognize as philosophy. which teaches them about the nature read Scotus. The problem is that Cambridge has and limitations of their discipline.” asked me to write, not about philosophy “Are you the only person here interested in Cambridge, but medieval philosophy in what they call medieval philosophy?” Jean Buridan was Professor of here. “Medieval philosophy – what is that?” I asked. He replied “Oh no – certainly Philosophy at the University of Paris, I asked myself. Luckily, I could put the not this year. We have Chris Martin from from c. 1320 to c. 1360. His comments question to my translator, John Marenbon. Auckland visiting, as Leverhulme Professor. were translated into English by John “What they mean”, John told me, “is the He has been giving lectures on the Marenbon, Honorary Professor of type of stuff you did”. But, before I could greatest logician between Aristotle Medieval Philosophy in the University reply he went on: “But it’s really not so and Frege”. I was beginning to feel of Cambridge. A podcast and typescript simple. I have just given an Inaugural flattered – to think, someone coming of John’s inaugural lecture is also Lecture” – he seemed very pleased with all those thousands of miles to talk about available from the Faculty website. himself when he pronounced these words me! I was preparing a suitably modest

Philosophy at Cambridge page 2 May 2012 The Beautiful and the Good Derek Matravers

Which is better – art or morality? as a picture is independent of whether The dominant view amongst moral the attitude evinced by the painter in philosophers appears to be that morality painting the picture is dubious. We is overriding. This view informs our might be able to do this – simply ethical theories; paradigmatically, judging the picture as pretty, or technically consequentialism which has at its heart proficient. It is, however, difficult to have the claim that we should always and the experience the work demands of everywhere maximise the good. The us without taking on in imagination odd thing is that few if any of us really attitudes concerning race and empire. believe it! Take Parker’s Piece (the large If this is so, and these attitudes are open space at the town end of Mill morally beyond the pale, this detracts Road) lit only by ‘reality checkpoint’; from the value of the painting. the lamppost at its centre. There is a The issues raised here are partly for good case to be made – and every now critics – how exactly should the painting and then it is made – for better lighting. be understood? However, there are also At night it is dark and, particularly for a philosophical issues: What is it to engage young woman on her own, frightening with a painting? How do the moral features to cross. However, we do not light it for relate to other features? It also raises an the simple reason that that would spoil it. intriguing question first raised by Hume It is much more beautiful unlit. in ‘On the Standard of Taste’ as to why This raises the time-honoured question General Gordon's Last Stand we don’t seem able to leave our actual of the relation between the good and the world morality behind when we engage beautiful. I should say ‘questions’ as indeed with works of art – particularly works that there are many different relations. This correspond in any simple way to a are fictional. There is also the question – issue is one that has hovered around the division between morality and aesthetics, largely unexplored – as to what we Philosophy Faculty for many years; it was Wollheim none the less found the former should do with works that we find something that bothered Bernard Williams ‘baleful’ in comparison to the latter – deficient because they are immoral. a great deal and also Michael Tanner – and a thought he later expressed in one of Answering these questions will edge was at the heart of aesthetics teaching in my favourite lines in Philosophy: ‘though us forward to understanding the good, Cambridge. Indeed, when I first came to good art is more likeable than bad art, the true, and the beautiful. the Faculty in the late 1980s ‘Can a great virtuous people do not enjoy this same work of art also be immoral?’ was a advantage…’ (Preface, The Mind and Derek Matravers gave the Alumni standard Tripos question. Its Depths). Weekend lecture in 2011. He did his Recently there has been a flurry of The various philosophical discussions, PhD at Darwin College and was a papers published on the subject that whether on the relation between postdoctoral lecturer in the Faculty have focussed on the rather narrow issue moral flaws and aesthetic flaws or on from 1991–1994. of whether a feature of a work of art that the question of the relative merits of He is currently Professor of is a moral flaw is also an aesthetic flaw. art and morality, are relevant to the Philosophy at the Open University The issues here are uncertain; as Hallvard way we understand particular works. as well as Affiliated Lecturer in the Lillehammer has sensibly pointed out The types of works in which these issues Faculty and Bye-Fellow and Director (British Journal of Aesthetics, 2008), the tend to become salient are those that of Studies at Emmanuel College. technical nature of the terms involved depict the naked human form (in particular makes the whole matter indeterminate. the female form) or works that in other This literature contrasts with the rather ways, reflect doubtful social or political broader line taken by Richard Wollheim mores. For a while now, disciplines such who thought that our conception of as English and Art History have studied value emerged from early in our psycho- ‘post-colonial’ works of art, or reflected on sexual development and took broadly colonial works of art from a post-colonial two forms. The first of these emerged standpoint. Consider, for example, General in what Bernard Williams later called Gordon’s Last Stand (1893) by George Joy, ‘the morality system’; a structure heavy which is now in the Leeds City Art Gallery. with notions of guilt and obligation. This depicts a supremely calm General Missed one of our events? The second involves the projection of Gordon facing the heathen hordes. Of You can listen and download mental states onto the world and our course, we could simply say that we do recordings of philosophy talks from subsequent perception of the world not have to make judgements here: Cambridge University iTunesU as valuable. Although these do not whether or not the picture has merit www.cam.ac.uk/video/itunesu.html

Philosophy at Cambridge page 3 May 2012 Huw Price in conversation with Tim Crane

Huw Price (Darwin 1977–81) joined the Faculty of Philosophy in October 2011. He was previously ARC Federation Fellow and Challis Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney, where he had headed the Centre for Time since 2002.

TC: Would you like to tell us a bit about your time at Cambridge and how it affected your philosophical development?

HP: I came here in the Autumn term in 1977. The reason I came here, really, was that I had the good fortune to bump into Hugh Mellor a couple of years before that, when I was still finishing my undergraduate degree in Australia. I was more or less set on going on in pure maths, and it was really some encouraging remarks from Hugh which convinced me that I should change my mind and do more philosophy. That’s how a couple of years later I ended up coming to Cambridge to work under his supervision for a PhD. And that turned out to be very influential indeed, in that the main things I’ve worked on since then can all be traced Tim Crane with the new Bertrand Russell Professor, Huw Price back in one way or another to things that Hugh was interested in at that time, such as probability and time. been of interest to physicists and TC: Do you also see the Faculty building philosophers of physics too. new links with other departments in the TC: Do you see other links with other University? parts of the Cambridge tradition in the HP: Yes, and when it came out Jeremy 20th century or before? Butterfield and Michael Redhead had HP: I think it’s a really excellent time to their highly successful group in philosophy build, or perhaps reinforce, the link with HP: Yes, certainly, as my views developed of physics, between Philosophy and HPS in particular. There’s a new professor after that. One person who was very HPS, here in Cambridge. They had a in HPS as well, Hasok Chang. He and influential was Peter Menzies. Through reading group on my book, and I came I and Jeremy and others have talked him, I think, I moved from an interest in to Cambridge and talked to people over the last year about trying to do probability to an interest in causation and here about it. something to raise the profile of problems of decision theory, and that led One of the attractions in coming philosophy of science in general at me into an approach to the philosophy of back is that I can now work with people Cambridge. It’s a rather Cambridge causation which is very much a Cambridge like Jeremy, who himself is back in thing that there are these immense one, in terms of agency. That’s an approach Cambridge at Trinity, after some years strengths, but they’re rather diversely we can find in the very late work of Ramsey at Oxford. Jeremy has strong links, and spread – some people in the faculty, and then later in the 20th century in I have some in my own right, with some some people in HPS, people like Jeremy Cambridge figures or Cambridge trained of the people in DAMTP (Department in colleges, and lots of individuals within figures such as von Wright and Gasking. of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical scientific departments who have an Physics) – in Quantum Information and interests in the philosophy of their TC: You also have of course, a strong Foundations there, for example. One own subject. interest in philosophy of science. of the exciting things in coming back, What we’d like to do is to provide Your book on time: Time’s Arrow is the opportunity to work with those a webpage and a network structure and Archimedes Point has been very people on issues in the philosophy which makes all of that vast strength influential and well-received, and has of physics. in philosophy of science visible both

Philosophy at Cambridge page 4 May 2012 inside and outside the University, so that they should, and I thought this would as a rather smart optimiser to run some people who are interested in particular be a good way of celebrating some of particular process. If that goes to the bits of the topic, or people interested in those people. stage where in effect, it can modify its coming here as students to the Faculty own code then it’s doubtful whether it or to HPS, can see just how rich what TC: Excellent. Would you like to tell would be controllable, and you get some we have here is. We’re going to call it us about any other plans you have? runaway process. Jaan thinks it could lead CAMPOS (Cambridge Philosophy of in a very short time to what would, in Science) which conveniently means HP: Last summer, when I was on my effect, be a major species-threatening ‘fields’ in Spanish and Portuguese – way to Cambridge, I was thinking about ecological catastrophe. so there’s a nice little pun there. We’re other things I might be able to do here, Now some people are sceptical about just working on getting our webpage which in some sense used the kind of that. I’m not completely convinced together, and we have a conference background that I had in things like myself, but I do think there’s a strong coming up at the end of November in philosophy of time and pragmatism. case that some time over the next century conjunction with a large European funded I went to several conferences in or two we are going to encounter a major Philosophy of Science network. So that’s a Europe in September. At one of them, transition, when we do really have AI wonderful opportunity to do some things in Copenhagen, I met a man called Jaan which is potentially, in some senses, even better than has been done in the Tallinn, who was one of the people who a lot smarter than we are. That’s a major past, in part just by making them more set up Skype. He turned out to be very transition for our species and it’s one visible than before. interested in what he calls ‘existential which we really do need to think about risk’ – that is, cataclysmic risk arising from well in advance. TC: That’s great to hear about human technology (in particular in his your interests in philosophy of time case, from developments in Artificial TC: One final question. What are your and philosophy of science. Another Intelligence (AI). I was very interested impressions of the Faculty after having major interest is pragmatism. in what he had to say about those issues. come back after so long? You’re organising a big workshop But I also saw that there might be an on Cambridge pragmatism in May opportunity for me to play a role as a HP: Well, my main impressions have been aren’t you? kind of catalyst bringing him and his what a congenial place it is to work, and contacts and his interest in these issues what a pleasant bunch of new colleagues HP: Yes, I mentioned earlier that some into contact with Cambridge, in order to I now have! of the interests I’ve developed – in rather set up some kind of centre for research pragmatic approaches to causation, for on these things here. TC: It’s great to have you here and I look example – fitted in with themes that Since I arrived here in October, I’ve forward to us working together for existed in Cambridge philosophy over been following that up. Jaan came to many years. the last century or so. It occurred to me Cambridge at the beginning of February it was really broader than that. The case and gave a very well received public A podcast of their full conversation is of causation was just one example of lecture organised by CSaP (the Centre available from the Faculty website. a certain kind of practical concern that for Science and Policy). We are now you could find in all sorts of Cambridge working on trying to find funding for this figures, approaching a wide range of project. I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to do topics. For example, in Hugh Mellor’s that, and the whole thing is starting to take work on time and tense he’s interested shape. I regard it as a very interesting and in explaining how creatures in our potentially extremely important project, situation naturally come to talk in which draws on my kind of background Future Events tensed terms, without tense being in philosophy of time and so on, but also in any sense a kind of fundamental takes philosophy out to make connections Alumni Weekend metaphysical feature of reality. You find with much broader issues. similar themes in Elizabeth Anscombe’s 22 September 2012 work on indexicality, for example. TC: That’s very exciting. Could you say Professor Tim Crane will give a talk These people are not, in a general in just a few sentences, what these entitled ‘What do Animals Think?’. sense, people that you would think issues about existential risk might be? Further details will be available from of as philosophical pragmatists, but in the Alumni Weekend website particular parts of their work you find HP: The general idea is that it’s possible (www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/weekend) this way of approaching philosophical that developments in human technology problems in terms of the practical role may lead to risks which are so serious Routledge Lecture in Philosophy: of the notions concerned in the lives of that they could threaten the survival Professor Susan Wolf from the creatures like us. That has long seemed of the species. In the case of artificial University of North Carolina will give to me to be the most interesting way of intelligence, it’s associated with the idea the 7th Routledge Lecture. Details to characterising philosophical pragmatism that developments in machine intelligence be announced. and I was struck by how much it was a might get to the point where in some Cambridge tradition. I wanted to do sense, the machines get out of control. Further details about forthcoming something to call attention to that, and The kinds of cases that Jaan Tallinn talks events will be available on the to one or two figures in the past century about, for example, are cases where you Faculty website. who get a little bit less attention than have a system which is basically set up

Philosophy at Cambridge page 5 May 2012 People

Awards, Honours and Promotions lectures on the development of logic in Wildman was appointed as a Research the twelfth century. Associate at the University of Hamburg. Michael Potter was promoted to a Christine Tiefensee has a 6 year research Professorship and Arif Ahmed to a Richard Holton and Rae Langton (MIT) post at the University of Bamberg. Senior Lectureship. were Faculty Visitors for two terms. Emily Caddick has a part time Teaching Alex Oliver has won the prestigious Officer Post at the Institute of Continuing Mind Association Research Fellowship Appointments Education, Madingley Hall, and a Jacobsen for 2012–13. Fellowship at the Institute of Philosophy. Tim Crane has been appointed as the Adrian Boutel has a post-doctoral Jeremy Butterfield was elected President Philosophy Editor of the Times Literary research position in the Faculty of History of the Mind Association for 2012–2013. He Supplement. and Philosophy of Science, starting was also invited to give the 2012 Ernest College Teaching Officer, Nick Treanor Autumn 2012. Steven Methven has Nagel memorial lecture at Columbia has been appointed to a Chancellor’s a 4-year JRF at Worcester College, University. This is a triennial lecture to Fellowship at the University of Edinburgh Oxford, and Tom Simpson a JRF at honour the memory of Ernest Nagel and to from August 2012. Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge for preserve the heritage of his contributions 3 years, from Sept 2012. to Logic and the Philosophy of Science. Richard Child, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Social Justice and Criminal Justice has been appointed to a Student Prizes Arrivals lectureship at Manchester University The Matthew Buncombe prize for best Sophia Connell, Adam Stewart-Wallace starting in September 2012. overall achievement in the MPhil degree and Sacha Golob were appointed to Temporary lecturer Sacha Golob has was awarded to Max Hayward (Trinity). temporary lectureships in the Faculty. been appointed to a lectureship at Kings The Craig Taylor prize for best performance Christopher Martin (University of College, London from October 2012. in Part IB went to Bastian Stern (Trinity). Auckland, New Zealand) spent two terms We are delighted that a number of our The Part II prize went to Katharine Jenkins in the Faculty as Leverhulme Visiting recent graduates have been appointed (Emmanuel). Professor. He delivered a set of public to academic posts. Among them, Nathan

Other News

Fundraising The Faculty has initiated a new fund to help support graduate students in the future. The fund was kick-started by a generous donation from Professor Emeritus Hugh Mellor. As ever, we are grateful to the Development Office for their help in our fund-raising efforts.

Faculty ranking In the 2011 Philosophical Gourmet Report, Cambridge is now ranked second in the UK, after Oxford (the Faculty in Oxford is at least five times the size of Cambridge’s).

Your comments and contributions are always welcome. Please send them to the Editor at:

Mrs Jenni Lecky-Thompson Faculty of Philosophy University of Cambridge Sidgwick Avenue Cambridge CB3 9DA email: [email protected]

Philosophy at Cambridge page 6 May 2012 Public Philosophy Harry Adamson

Mental health answer those questions, or at least provide others. The group then gets back together problems can prompt the comfort of knowing they’re not alone and the main speaker will take people a search for meaning in asking them? through a bit of the philosophical literature and a range of The Stuart Low Trust is a London-based before introducing a second question, questions which, mental health charity set up to provide which is a logical development of the first. ostensibly at least, non-medical, community support to The whole process then repeats, with tea fall into the purview promote wellbeing. A short while after and talk in the middle. of philosophers. In I had finished my doctorate at Cambridge The numbers have been high, and the Harry Adamson the broadest terms, I was asked to speak at one of their events feedback amazingly positive from an what’s it all about and what’s it all for? on the views of philosophers on happiness. engaged and appreciative audience. More specifically perhaps, what is Much to my surprise there was enough Running the mini-seminars has been a happiness, and am I equipped to get positive response for them to suggest joy for the volunteers – full of interesting it? What makes me “me”, and do “I” survive a weekly talk. I thought an interactive and moving moments. We have received through incoherence, through changes approach would work best, and together sufficient donations to expand a little into of character or mood brought on by with Rachel Paine, another philosopher other groups that can provide philosophy illness or prescriptions? Even, what is the who had worked with the Trust, began to vulnerable people. world like, and how do I know whether the Philosophy Forum: www.slt.org.uk/ Current or former students would be it accords with my perception of it? philosophy-forum. more than welcome to volunteer – please If it’s right that those who suffer mental A different speaker comes in every do! For details and donations contact distress are particularly prone to ask week, and introduces a question: What is [email protected]. abstract and fundamental questions, happiness? What is a person? What can and to require an answer to them with you know for certain? etc. The audience a particular urgency, should philosophy subdivides into groups of four or so, and strike a special chord with those who have volunteers then run mini-seminars where had the hardest lives? Should philosophy those participating get to talk through help people by giving them the tools to their own thoughts and hear those of

Mellon Seminars on Ethics, Philosophy and Anthropology Hallvard Lillehammer

During Lent Term 2012, the Centre for Over the last decade or so, there spurs to the exploration of mutually Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and has been a growing trend among recognisable themes; from theoretical Humanities (CRASSH) hosted a series of philosophers and anthropologists to discussions of ethical relativism, virtue eight interdisciplinary seminars entitled draw on the work of scholars in each or social explanation on the one hand, ‘Ethics at the Intersection of Philosophy other’s discipline. Yet until now, this to ethnographic discussions of spirit and Anthropology’. Led by Mellon trend has yet to result in any systematic possession in Madagascar, Islamic revival Teaching Fellows James Laidlaw (Social dialogue across the disciplinary divide, in Egypt, or ‘criminal castes’ in south Anthropology/King’s College) and Hallvard either in Cambridge or elsewhere. This India on the other. Lillehammer (Philosophy/Churchill fact was clearly visible during the course During the course of the term, College), this pilot project brought of the seminars, where anthropologically there was inevitably a certain amount together graduate students and senior trained participants would sometimes of disagreement among the seminar members from Biological Anthropology, be puzzled by the choices made by participants. Yet there was also a significant Divinity, Education, Development Studies, philosophers of anthropological sources, amount of agreement – perhaps more Family Research, History, Philosophy, and philosophically trained participants so than some of us had expected. There Public Health, and Social Anthropology would equally be surprised at some was also a decent amount of laughter. in Cambridge; as well as visiting scholars of the philosophical sources used by Those of us who came with a desire to from Manchester and MIT, to explore anthropologists. Rather than being learn something new definitely did so – common themes in recent philosophical an obstacle to constructive discussion, enough to convince the organisers to and anthropological work on the nature however, these moments of puzzlement continue the conversation. of ethical thought and practice. and surprise functioned as creative

Philosophy at Cambridge page 7 May 2012 Becoming more thoughtful Carlene Firman

I have always worked in a landscape of on pursuing debates in a thoughtful difference. But being accepted into a manner. In addition to such group- world that was so different to the one based thinking, I am now one year into I had grown up in was as profound as a Professional Doctorate. Having the space the friends I made over the three years for personal thought, and to develop and of my degree. Following my interview for challenge my positions on social issues, my place, I was convinced that I hadn’t is crucial for me to be confident in the got into Cambridge, and I was beyond recommendations I make professionally. stunned when I realised I had. Getting A challenge of social policy is its weakness into, and staying in, an environment as to knee-jerk development. Working on academically and socially challenging policy with a backdrop of considered as Cambridge gave me a greater sense thought increases the likelihood that of self-belief and a desire to be a my conclusions are holistic; and that is barrier breaker. important to me. Becoming more thoughtful has During my Cambridge interview I informed my entire career. The success remember stereotypically quoting of my research into girls affected by gang Descartes’ ‘I think therefore I am’. While violence was born out of an ability to ask I cringe at that memory now, I can also Carlene Firman questions about serious youth violence smile to myself and think that a change in a different way. While people had spent may be in order: when it comes to me, years focused on boys involved in gangs, ‘I question therefore I am’ and I can’t If I could say one thing about my time at few had considered girls, and even fewer imagine a time when I won’t be. Cambridge, it would be that I left there had interviewed them. My current role more thoughtful than when I arrived – advising the Office of the Children’s Carlene Firmin, MBE (Fitzwilliam and in more ways than one. Studying Commissioner’s Inquiry into Child 2002–05) is social policy advisor Philosophy for three years definitely Sexual Exploitation in Gangs and specialising in preventing gang improved my ability to answer questions Groups requires me to develop and violence, violence against girls, and and to question answers, through an challenge questions and answers to the sexual exploitation of children analytical lens that I wasn’t always aware ensure the Inquiry provides the findings and young people. From 2006 to 2011 I was developing. When I opted to study and recommendations to change she researched the impact of criminal Philosophy it was because I wasn’t clear children’s lives. And each month when gangs on women and girls while about my career direction, and I wanted I write my column for Society Guardian working for the charity Race on the to study something that could sustain I have to come up with a new question Agenda and in 2011 she took up the my interest for an extended period of time. about a current issue and explore it post of Assistant Director of Policy I found Philosophy interesting because in a way that a wide audience can and Research at children’s charity I liked an argument, and learning lots engage with. Barnardo’s. Carlene has authored of new ways to argue was obviously Embedding my academic journey in a number of research reports and appealing to me. In addition, I found it Philosophy has also kept me interested currently writes a monthly column in fascinating to learn that people had been in studying as a means of questioning the Guardian Society. She is a board asking the same questions and having and learning. Having worked at social member of the Prison Reform Trust, the same arguments for centuries. policy charity Race on the Agenda for Hibiscus, and The GAG Project, which Aside from formal study, Cambridge a year, I began seeking greater knowledge she founded in 2010. introduced me to people from a range and understanding than my workplace of backgrounds who taught me about alone could afford me. This led me to difference, and about myself. Learning complete a Masters Degree in Social how to live, study and socialise with Policy and Planning at the London School people from around the country was a of Economics. I often found myself having life-informing experience for this London heated debates with my fellow students girl, and prepared me for a career working about whether or not there was a ‘social with a mosaic of personalities. Whether it’s underclass’ and what was the actual meeting with politicians, doing press purpose of criminal justice system. I would interviews, or building bridges with a always retreat to my philosophical roots range of activists, since leaving University to form and change my position, intent

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Philosophy at Cambridge page 8 May 2012