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provided by Apollo Philosophy at Cambridge Newsletter of the Faculty of Philosophy

Issue 6 May 2009

From the Chairman D.H. Mellor Tim Crane When I came up to Clare, there were 70 applicants to read Philosophy. 34 were accepted. That was 1985. job at ICI to work on his PhD on This year 308 applied, but just 56 probability with Mary Hesse in HPS, were successful. This is not a blip. most of his work (and certainly his Since 2002 Philosophy’s application/ best work) has been in metaphysics. acceptance ratio has been way above When I wrote something for the overall University average, and the excellent Festschrift edited by higher still than the average in the Arts. Gonzalo Rodriguez-Pereyra and Why is Philosophy so popular? One Hallvard Lillehammer in 2003 (Real explanation is that the subject is now Metaphysics), I commented that a firmly on the map in schools, as dominant theme of Hugh’s work is a GCSE and A-level option, often as what I called his ‘objectivism’ about a substantial element in the teaching metaphysics. This is his view that the of Religious Studies. Over 23,000 subject-matter of metaphysics is the UK students took Religious Studies or way it is regardless of what anyone Philosophy A-level last year, more than thinks about it. In the philosophy of French and German combined. This is probability, Hugh defended single-case objective chances or propensities; in reflected in the changing intellectual D.H. Mellor formation of our undergraduates: 2/3 the philosophy of time he defended of our current freshers have studied Emeritus Professor D.H. (Hugh) the reality of the temporal series Philosophy in some form at A-level. Mellor, who in 2008 celebrated his ordered in terms of earlier and later, But why Philosophy at Cambridge? 70th birthday, originally studied and argued that the ‘now’ is a kind It doesn’t take much investigation to chemical engineering at Pembroke of illusion. In the philosophy of discover that we offer a Rolls-Royce College. Although he had developed mind, Hugh argued against those education. Nowhere in the world can an interest in philosophy at school in like Thomas Nagel who think that the match it. And it will be even stronger Manchester, Hugh did not formally self is something outside the objective this coming year when Tim Crane study the subject until he visited the order of the world. Our metaphysics and Fraser MacBride join the Faculty. University of Minnesota as a Harkness should not mix facts about the way I know first-hand that they are Fellow. There he took a course on the we represent the phenomena with inspirational teachers. philosophy of science taught by the the phenomena themselves. Mastering facts and figures is one great Vienna Circle empiricist Herbert This is perhaps more of a of the first chores for an incoming Feigl. Feigl began his course by ‘philosophy of philosophy’ than you Chairman, but the principal pleasure announcing that there are three kinds would get from Hugh himself. Hugh is sustaining and developing our of philosophy: ‘the philosophy of tended to be impatient with people dynamic community. The Faculty nothing but’ (needless reductionism), who speculated about the essence of simply couldn’t operate without the ‘the philosophy of something more’ philosophy, thinking this a question goodwill and superb work of its (mysticism and spirituality) and Feigl’s of as little interest as the question extended network of philosophers – own preferred middle way, ‘the of the essence of science. “I’m not Junior and Senior Research Fellows, philosophy of what’s what’. interested in philosophy” he would College Teaching Officers, Affiliated ‘The philosophy of what’s what’ sometimes say “I’m interested in Lecturers, Directors of Studies, not might make a good subtitle for Hugh’s time, causation, probability, the to mention our army of top graduate collected papers. It nicely captures mind …”. Philosophy is its own students. I’ll end this note with a both his unpretentious, down-to-earth thing: there is truth and falsehood in tribute to all of them. attitude towards the subject, and his philosophy; the truth can be attained; respect for the facts revealed to us and our philosophical questions are, Alex Oliver by common sense and by science. on the whole, about exactly what they Chairman, Philosophy Faculty Board Although Hugh started off as a seem to be about: time, causation, philosopher of science, leaving his probability, the mind and so on.

Philosophy at Cambridge page 1 May 2009 When I was a research student epistemology, which is not an area the enormous amount he has also in the 1980s, Hugh was one of the of philosophy in which he had much done for the Faculty and the dominant figures in the Cambridge interest. The inaugural is a fine piece, University. He was the prime mover scene. Tireless, tough and energetic but his greatest achievements have in the ambitious redesign of the Raised as a graduate supervisor, he also gave been in metaphysics: in particular in Faculty Building, and he also served as inspiring undergraduate lectures and the philosophy of time (Real Time Pro-Vice Chancellor, managing to do he was a formidable opponent at the was published in 1980, and the heavily at least three times as many things in Moral Sciences Club. Many visiting revised version Real Time II in 1998) a day than most academics. Since he speakers came away from meetings and in causation, where his dense retired, Hugh has taken a well-earned with their papers in severe need of and condensed book The Facts of break from all this kind of thing reconstruction (I know that mine Causation (1995) argued for some (though not from philosophy, publishing did). We coined the Philosophers’ very radical doctrines, for example his philosophical introduction to Lexicon-style definition: hughmellorate the view that causation is not a probability a few years ago) and has (verb, transitive) = to show a visiting relation. These works surely belong been spending more and more time speaker that their paper is completely among the best works of metaphysics on his other great passion, the theatre. worthless. But Hugh did not do this of the late twentieth century. To his students, Hugh is a model to score points; he wanted to get to Hugh’s work in metaphysics fits of how to take philosophy seriously the heart of the matter, without any squarely into a Cambridge tradition without being solemn about it; waffle and without affectation. which is hard to define but easy how to have high standards in the Some found Hugh just too dogmatic to recognise – a tradition which in subject without being crippled by in those days, and even those who the 20th century included Bertrand the enormity of the problems or didn’t would sometimes poke fun at Russell, F.P. Ramsey, C.D. Broad and the weight of the tradition; how to him affectionately. I remember Jeremy R.B. Braithwaite. Hugh has always take account of the known facts Butterfield in a lecture describing a view said how much he owed to Ramsey, without slavish devotion to science; about time as what Hugh believes, and but he also owed a lot to Ramsey’s and how the first and guiding aim of adding: “He won’t tell you he believes friend Braithwaite, who would also philosophers should be to aim to say it. He’ll tell you it’s true. That’s his way become a friend of Hugh’s. He also what is true, without fuss and without of saying he believes it”. And a friend claims as his other influences Hans obscurity. The philosophy of what’s summed up Hugh’s inaugural lecture, Reichenbach, and the Australian what, in other words. The Warrant of Induction in two metaphysics of J.J.C. Smart, D.M. sentences: “How do we know the future Armstrong, Frank Jackson and Tim Crane (PhD 1989), Professor will be like the past? Because it will!”. David Lewis. of Philosophy, UCL. He joins the It was odd, in a way, that Hugh Hugh’s substantial achievements in Faculty as Knightbridge Professor should give his inaugural lecture on philosophy should not over-shadow in September 2009

Philosophy at Cambridge page 2 May 2009 An Oxford Lad at Cambridge Sidney A. Josephs

I came up to Trinity in 1957, on a accommodate the expected larger I drove down from London early on Cambridge Bursary for Adult students, than usual audience. Saturday mornings, and spent the day to read Moral Sciences (Neither moral My third year was a shambles. in supervisions with my students, before nor scientific!). I was 24 years old and Lacking a classical background I driving back to my pad in the then had been working on the production had to take the History of Modern poorest part of Chelsea (aptly named line in one of the Oxford car factories. Philosophy option for Part II, which, ‘The World’s End’!). I’m sure that such a I had become interested in philosophy with the exception of David Hume, situation would not be tolerated today! at the age of 16, when I started seeking held little interest for me. This lack For more than ten years after I left logical arguments to support my of interest and motivation, allied to Cambridge, in addition to my full-time empirical atheism. a delightful, but time-consuming and job in publishing, I taught evening I was fortunate, from 1954–56, to emotionally demanding love affair with classes in philosophy for the Extra- attend, in Oxford, a Workers’ Education an undergraduate from Newnham Mural Boards of Cambridge, London Association evening class in philosophy (no, reader, I did not marry her), and, subsequently, Oxford Universities. tutored by Thomas Hodgkin (husband denied me my hat-trick of Firsts. The wheel had turned full circle and of the more famous Dorothy), and it When I left, the number of students my debt had been repaid. was he who persuaded me to compete was gradually increasing in the faculty, for the Cambridge Bursary. but not the staff, and for two academic Sidney A. (Joe) Josephs (1933–2008) From my limited, untutored years I was Moral Sciences Supervisor read Moral Sciences at Trinity outside view, Oxford philosophy in for Jesus and Caius. During term, 1957–1960. the early and mid 1950s appeared to be exclusively linguistic analysis, with bits of Wittgenstein grafted on, and I was surprised when I arrived in Cambridge to discover that Wittgenstein was talked about, but not obviously taught, and that metaphysics and objective values still lived through A.C. Ewing. My supervisor for two of my years was Casimir Lewy, very strong on symbolic logic, less persuasive on linguistic analysis, but always enjoyable and productive, and a truly lovely man. For a couple of terms I was supervised firstly by Ewing (I don’t think either of us much enjoyed the experience!), and another term by a graduate student named Ian Hacking, who if I remember correctly, brewed beer in his sink, which he shared with his supervisees (the beer, not the sink). Moral Sciences was a small faculty then: in 1958 only 19 students sat the five papers that constituted the Preliminary Examination for Part I of the Moral Sciences Tripos. I was awarded the only First, and there were eight 2.1s, ten 2.2s, and no Thirds. As a consequence of my Part I performance, Trinity elected me to a Senior Scholarship, and (I suspect it was at the instigation of Lewy) I was elected as Honorary Secretary of the Moral Sciences Club (the first undergraduate to be elected to this post for many, many years, so I was told). I persuaded a number of then well- known philosophers to speak, (including Saw, Mrs Warnock, Peters, Winch, Findlay, Montefiore, and Flew) but my biggest coup was to get A.J. Ayer for 3rd March 1960. Normally, meetings were held in Professor Braithwaite’s rooms in King’s, but for Freddie’s visit the meeting was held in Trinity Junior Parlour, to

Philosophy at Cambridge page 3 May 2009 G.E. Moore and Cambridge Philosophy Thomas Baldwin

appreciation of beauty. This thesis professor of philosopher, when he, ensured that, unlike the writings of Ryle, was starting his career: most moral philosophers, Moore’s For some of us there still lives work had an impact which reached the Moore whose voice is never beyond the academic world into quite resuscitated by his printed the broader culture of writers and words. ... He gave us courage artists, most notably the members not by making concessions, but of the Bloomsbury Group, many of by making no concessions to whom had been friends with Moore our youth or to our shyness. He at Cambridge. would explode at our mistakes Moore left Cambridge in 1904, and muddles with just that but returned in 1911 to a University genial ferocity with which he lectureship in Moral Sciences and would explode at the mistakes then stayed on in Cambridge for and muddles of philosophical most of the rest of his life. In 1925 high-ups, and with just the he was appointed Professor of genial ferocity with which he Mental Philosophy and Logic and would explode at mistakes and elected to a Fellowship at Trinity muddles of his own. He would College. The main field of Moore’s listen with minute attention G. E. Moore work lay in the development of a to what we said, and then, new conception of philosophy as without a trace of discourtesy In 2008, the 50th anniversary of the analysis of common sense. or courtesy, treat our remarks his death, the Philosophy Faculty Moore had been one of the first simply on their merits … celebrated the life and achievements to recognise that Russell’s logical sometimes, without a trace of G. E. Moore (1873–1958). theory transformed the possibilities of politeness or patronage, Moore came to Cambridge, to for philosophical analysis. But Moore crediting them with whatever Trinity College, in 1892 to study also recognised the importance of positive utility he thought they classics, but philosophy soon respecting the distinctions which we possessed. became his main interest and in find in ordinary language, and this 1896 he achieved a first class result chimed with the thesis of his famous (from ‘G. E. Moore’ Collected in Part II of the Moral Sciences paper ‘A Defence of Common Sense’ Papers Vol. I., Hutchinson, Tripos. Moore’s interest in philosophy (1925) that our common sense view 1971 p. 270). had been stimulated by new friends of the world is largely right. Moore such as Bertrand Russell who later does not attempt to justify this thesis; Thomas Baldwin is Professor of wrote: ‘In my third year I met G. E. what he emphasizes instead is that it Philosophy, University of York. Moore, who was then a freshman, remains to be determined by analysis He read Moral Sciences at Trinity and for some years he fulfilled my just what it involves. Similarly Moore (1965–8) and was University ideal of genius. He was in those holds that we have no grounds to Lecturer in Philosophy at days beautiful and slim, with a look doubt our common sense belief that Cambridge (1984–94). almost of inspiration, and with an we know such things as ‘This is a intellect as deeply passionate as hand’; but, he accepts, it remains Spinoza’s’ (Autobiography, to be determined just how sceptical Routledge 1998 p. 61). arguments which question our In 1898 Moore won a Prize claims to this knowledge are to Fellowship at Trinity College and his be countered. next six years there were the most Moore retired in 1939 and spent productive period of his life. His main the war years in the USA where he achievements were his ‘refutation made a considerable impact. He of idealism’ and, especially, his died on October 24th 1958, and ethical treatise Principia Ethica. his ashes are buried in what used Moore argues here that ethics, the to be known as St. Giles cemetery study of the good, is an autonomous but is now known as Ascension discipline, separate from both idealist Parish Burial Ground. While his metaphysics and natural science. influence on academic philosophy Goodness is a sui generis property; it continues in contemporary debates is neither a fundamental metaphysical which involve ‘Moorean’ positions, or natural property, nor definable through the impact of his personality in terms of them. Many different he also left an enduring legacy in kinds of thing are good, but, Moore the way in which philosophical famously affirms, by far the most discussion is conducted. Here is valuable things which we know Gilbert Ryle describing his experience Thomas Baldwin speaking at the Alumni or can imagine are love and the of meeting Moore, the eminent Weekend, 2008

Philosophy at Cambridge page 4 May 2009 Faculty events

Festival of Ideas Cambridge Graduate Conference Onora O’Neill on Press Third Routledge Lecture: On the weekend of the 17th/18th Freedom Iris Murdoch and the January 2009, St John’s College was home to the second edition Xiaoxu Chen Rejection of Existentialism of the Cambridge Graduate Laura Biron Conference in the Philosophy On October 22nd 2008, Professor of Logic and Mathematics. The Onora O’Neill gave a public lecture In this year’s Routledge lecture on conference offers a forum – the on Press Freedom as part of the 30th October 2008, Professor Richard only of its kind in the UK – in which Festival of Ideas. Professor O’Neill Moran (Harvard) argued that the postgraduate students working in asked: Why has the concept of standard account of Iris Murdoch’s the areas of logic and the philosophy ‘press freedom’ seen so little criticism battle with existentialism — a simple of mathematics can present their since the European enlightenment? tale of youthful embrace followed by research to a specialist audience. What kind of justification can we mature rejection — was wrong both The conference attracted delegates provide for a conception of press about existentialism and about the from all over Europe and saw a freedom? direction of Murdoch’s thought. It number of stimulating papers on She started by clarifying some was wrong about existentialism, he topics ranging from the logic of conceptual confusions. The terms suggested, because the passion and counterfactuals and nominalism ‘press freedom’, ‘freedom of speech’ breadth of her polemical critique in in the philosophy of mathematics and ‘freedom of expression’ are The Sovereignty of Good led her to to questions of ontological frequently misused, and often caricature and distort the theory. And it commitment. In the ensuing, conflated. Although these concepts was wrong about Murdoch’s thought often lively discussions, the speakers are related, they are not one and because, he conjectured, a greater benefited from the comments and the same thing, as people often appreciation of her (downplayed) criticisms of their respondents, of assume. existentialist inheritance could the audience (including a number Having done this, Professor illuminate our understanding of of Faculty members) and of our O’Neill argued that history has some characteristic themes in her two extremely engaged and engaging shown the classic justifications moral philosophy. keynote speakers, Professor Hannes for press freedom provided by To illustrate his second thesis, Leitgeb (Bristol) and Professor Milton and Mill to be inadequate. Moran asked us to revisit Murdoch’s Timothy Williamson (Oxford). We cannot agree with Milton that famous example of a change of vision Both days culminated in a individual freedom of expression in Sovereignty (the mother-in-law case) keynote address. Professor Leitgeb is the key to truth. Nor, in light and interpret it using some existentialist presented a thought-provoking of the pervasive market power tools of analysis, aiming to show that paper laying down the prolegomena of the press, can we endorse Mill’s Murdoch’s metaphor of vision — a to a serious study of the notion of optimistic view that press freedom corrective to the ‘giddy, empty’ will of informal provability in mathematics. is always the best guarantee of existentialist man — was in fact a crucial In the final talk, Professor Williamson individuals’ interests, both in part of existentialism’s positive account drew a number of intriguing free expression and in more of moral growth and responsibility. It metaphysical conclusions from substantive goods. was a subtle and insightful hypothesis. a study of the semantics of second- In light of that deep connection But those in the audience resistant to order modal logic. between press institutions and it felt that it did not accommodate Apart from the many interesting market power, what can best justify Murdoch’s famous insistence, against contributions, there was also press freedom? Professor O’Neill the existentialists, that moral growth plenty of opportunity to mingle suggested that the best justification requires an orientation of will towards and exchange ideas over coffee or is probably that a free press the Real outside the self, which is an red wine. We hope the Cambridge contributes to democracy. This important part of her own interpretation Graduate Conference in the justification does not mandate of the case at hand. Regardless of this Philosophy of Logic and Mathematics a complete laissez-faire attitude, concern, Moran certainly convinced us will be firmly established in the since it fails unless we put in place of his first thesis, arguing persuasively years to come. measures to resist monopolies and that Murdoch’s less than charitable the concentration of ownership. depiction of existentialism was overly Professor O’Neill concluded by harsh and often misrepresented its Luca Incurvati and Florian discussing the difficulties of using target. After all, as he noted, great critics Steinberger, Graduate Students both statutory and non-statutory are often prone inadvertently to distort regulation to guarantee this what they attack. It is the task of precarious balance. contemporary interpreters to piece together the parts of the attack more carefully, revealing, as Moran did, more complexity than initially meets the eye.

Philosophy at Cambridge page 5 May 2009 The Cambridge Apostles Peter Marris

undergraduate or senior member, The minutes, kept, as I remember, and we would sit in a circle around in a big black tin box, were full of the fireplace and discuss it. curious information about famous Occasionally we would read and infamous members. Both a famous paper from the past, Tennyson and his friend Arthur preserved in the society’s archives. Hallam belonged. The minutes record The topics ranged from ethical and that, when his turn came to make a philosophical dilemmas to questions presentation, Tennyson was overcome of etiquette, and the papers could with a fit of nerves, and threw his be serious or playful. The essential paper in the fire. Later that summer, criterion was that they not be they also record, he and Hallam went academic, but written to raise off to France to join a revolution. questions that the members from An Irish member was hanged by many different disciplines would be the British as a traitor. G.E. Moore, interested to discuss. For this reason, whose book on ethics was a revered the society did not necessarily recruit classic at Cambridge, and Bertrand the most brilliant undergraduates, but Russell were members (Alfred North those who seemed to fit best the ideal Whitehead, with whom Russell wrote of an intellectually curious thinker, Principia Mathematica, the work Peter Marris in 1949 happy to take up all sorts of ideas which radically reformulated logic, and discuss them for the pleasure of declined to join because the society One day, out of the blue, I received it. If the society had a larger purpose, was secret). But public curiosity an invitation to a cocktail party in it was to foster a broad intellectual about the Apostles stems from its King’s College. King’s, at that time, culture, overriding academic association with the group of writers was known for its self-consciously specialization. But it would have and painters who came to be known gay culture, affected by a clique been against the spirit of the as the Bloomsbury set — Lytton of dons and students. The party meetings to be solemn about it. Strachey, his brother John, included some of these, but the guests The society was secret. Since Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson, came from all over the university, and membership was so restricted, it J.M. Keynes, and Leonard Woolf its tone was different. Some of the did not want potential recruits had all belonged. In my day, E.M. guests were famous. I spent ten or lobbying to join, especially as its Forster apart, there were no such fifteen minutes outlining my theory criteria for membership were hard famous figures at our meetings. Eric of the novel to E.M. Forster, who to define and selection intuitive. Hobsbawm, the historian, was the listened politely, and when I had Nor, I think, did it want membership best known of the older members come to an end, said only “I must to become a matter of prestige who sometimes attended. think about that.” Despite this, or amongst the undergraduates. It I attended only one of the society’s perhaps even because of it, a few turned its back, idealistically, on the annual dinners. I sat next to Leonard days later I was invited to join the phenomenal world of intellectual and Woolf, and as the youngest member Apostles. The party, it turned out, career ambitions. Unlike the secret present, was required to make a had been an interview in disguise. societies of Yale, for instance, it was speech. I do not remember what Formally, the society was called the not intended to create a mutually I said, but it was well received. ‘Cambridge Conversazione Society’, supportive network to advance As the party broke up, I was and under this name it booked its careers. I never thought to use it offered a lift home by Guy Burgess, annual dinners at Kettner’s restaurant in that way and I do not know of who was, as I understood, connected in Soho. But it was known as the anyone who did. Its unworldliness to the Foreign Office. Something Apostles, because at any one time was genuine, if somewhat precious. about him, at once aggressive and there could only be twelve But because it was secret, and insinuating, made me uneasy. When undergraduate members. Any because, at one time or another, it has we reached the horse pond at the top member who had graduated could included many famous or notorious of Hampstead Hill, I asked him to let attend its meetings. Noel Annan, members, the Apostles have been me out, pretending that I was only a who later became master of King’s, mythologized as a vaguely sinister few steps from my house. Some years came regularly, Eric Hobsbawm, elite. They play a leading part, for later, he was discovered to have spied the historian, sometimes, E.M. instance, in Tony Cape’s ingenious for the Soviet government, and fled Forster occasionally. We met to spy thriller, The Cambridge Theorem, to Moscow. How was someone who discuss ideas, and always began and at least one of the Apostles seemed so obviously untrustworthy, with a bit of Hegelian play acting, was, indeed, a spy. The society was even on first acquaintance, ever let dating I guess, from the previous founded in 1820 by a Reverend near an official secret? century, in which the phenomenal Tomlinson, who became Bishop of world was dismissed, and the real Gibraltar, and he intended it, I think, Peter Marris, (1927–2007) read world of pure reason reinstated. This to promote earnest discussion of Moral Sciences at Clare 1948–1951. was symbolized by eating anchovies moral questions, such as would He became a sociologist and the on toast, and calling them ‘whales’. strengthen the spiritual life of author of nine books. Then someone would read a paper, serious-minded undergraduates.

Philosophy at Cambridge page 6 May 2009 Faculty News

Awards social sciences, both at the university Philosophy (1896), the Chair held by One of the world’s most prestigious and in the UK. Wittgenstein among others, is filled academic societies has elected Professor Professor Jane Heal visited Japan in in perpetuity. The Faculty is also keen Simon Blackburn to its membership 2008 and was invited to lecture at the to undertake new initiatives, such as in its latest round of appointments. Philosophy Departments at Keio offering studentships, or supporting He has been made a Foreign Honorary University, Tokyo and Kyoto University. distinguished visitors. Your support Member of the American Academy would be warmly appreciated. More of Arts and Sciences. information about the appeal and a Student Prizes donation form is available from the The new Craig Taylor prize fund Faculty website www.phil.cam.ac.uk. Departures is for best performance in part IB Professor Quassim Cassam took and Part II of the Philosophy tripos. up a professorship at the University The Part IB prize was awarded to Future of Warwick on 1st January 2009. Konstancja Duff (Fitzwilliam). Temporary lecturer Dr Karen Nielsen Andreas Morgensen (Fitzwilliam) Faculty Events returned to her post at the University was awarded the Part II prize. Alumni Weekend 2009 of Western Ontario, Canada. The Matthew Buncombe prize for The Meaning of Music the best overall performance in the Arrivals MPhil degree was awarded to Emily Saturday 26 September This year the Faculty welcomed Caddick (Newnham). Professor Roger Scruton Professor Bob Hanna from the Why do we think that music has University of Colorado, Boulder, and meaning, and how does this bear Dr Sophia Connell, from Newnham on the value of music and its College, Cambridge, as temporary place in our lives? lecturers. Exhibition: 800 years of Professor Tim Crane (philosophy Philosophy at Cambridge of mind, metaphysics, philosophy of psychology), who has taught at 25–26 September University College London since Casimir Lewy Library 1990, and where he is currently Exhibition to celebrate the history Head of Department, has accepted of Philosophy at Cambridge. Jonathon Brown’s gift of a painting was the Knightbridge Professorship with unveiled at the Alumni Weekend, 2008 Please see Alumni Weekend 2009 effect from 1st September 2009. booklet for further details. Established in 1683, this is one of the oldest professorships at Recent Major Publications the University of Cambridge. by Members of the Faculty Festival Of Ideas 21 October–1 November 2009 Dr Fraser MacBride, Reader in Simon Blackburn Philosophy at Birkbeck College, How to Read Hume. London: The Philosophy of Wine – University of London, has accepted Granta, 2008. a permanent post to commence From Science to Subjectivity Professor Barry Smith, Director in October 2009. His interests Raymond Geuss of the Institute of Philosophy, are metaphysics, philosophy of Philosophy and Real Politics. University of London. mathematics, philosophical logic Princeton, NJ: Princeton University and the history of analytic philosophy. Press, 2008. Can our taste experiences reveal the objective qualities of a wine, or JRF Elections Robert Hanna & Michelle Maiese do they just confirm our individual Embodied Minds in Action. Oxford: preferences? Among our current research students, Oxford University Press, 2009. Luca Incurvati was elected to a Junior Routledge Lecture: The Research Fellowship at Magdalene Michael Potter Open-Doors Model of College, Cambridge. Charlotte Werndl Wittgenstein’s notes on logic Freedom has accepted a Research Fellowship Oxford: Oxford University at Queen’s College, Oxford. 30 October Press, 2008. Professor Philip Pettit, the Laurance Lectures S. Rockefeller University Professor The Faculty participated in the Faculty Appeal of Politics and Human Values at Festival of Ideas by putting on two The Faculty has now raised over Princeton University, will deliver enormously successful lectures £1.4 million of the £2 million it the fourth Routledge Lecture. (reviewed on page 5). This was needs to provide a Trust Fund. If it Please see the Festival of Ideas the first ever festival of its kind to is successful, the Faculty expects to brochure for further details. celebrate the arts, humanities and guarantee that the Professorship of

Philosophy at Cambridge page 7 May 2009 Logic Matters Peter Smith

British philosophy departments have changed. For the last consistent! But how do we know . . . ?) Arif Ahmed, an ex- twenty years, the pressures have been to give increasing priority mathematician, like Michael and myself, is seriously interested to research and to expand the numbers of research students. in issues like the supposed necessity of logic and mathematics. There’s a temptation to devalue other teaching as a result. But Bob Hanna, who is temporarily with us this year, also has we like to think that in Cambridge, at any rate, we’ve managed equally strong interests in the philosophy of mathematics. to balance the competing demands. Despite a radical growth in And then Fraser MacBride, who is joining us in October, has student numbers, we maintain a gold-standard undergraduate written a number of major articles in the area. Those who like education. And while we’ve certainly gone for quality rather to see continuities will think that it entirely appropriate that than quantity, our graduate school is expanding and impressively the Cambridge of Russell and Whitehead, of Ramsey and flourishing. Turing, and of Wittgenstein, should still care a very great How do we continue to maintain research quality and deal about the foundations of logic and mathematics. attract the best graduate students, despite being a relatively This cluster attracts an impressive bunch of enthusiastic small department? By developing strengths in particular areas, graduate students interested in the philosophy of mathematics by having a number of ‘research clusters’ (in the jargon of the (who have done exceptionally well in competitions for Junior age). This focus is good for our research — as there is the Research Fellowships). ongoing stimulation from advanced seminars, reading-groups, For some reason, these students have tended to be more and innumerable conversations. And it is even better for our inclined than others to spend their days working together in graduate students — for just the same reasons. the graduate centre, which has made for a terrific atmosphere One cluster that’s emerged is in logic and the philosophy of co-operative endeavour. The Thursday Logic Seminar, of mathematics. Michael Potter has produced important books followed by the pub, has become something of an institution on the philosophy of arithmetic, Reason’s Nearest Kin, and Set (if mathematicians are engines for turning coffee into theorems, Theory and Its Philosophy. Alex Oliver and Timothy Smiley philosophers of mathematics do seem to flourish more on beer). have written a whole series of influential articles on the logic Many of us get together another day as well — sometimes to of plurals (which covers, inter alia, the logic of expressions teach ourselves more logic by working through some advanced like ‘Alex Oliver and Timothy Smiley’), and they have recently text, but this year (at Bob Hanna’s instigation) it’s been to applied that work in arguing for a rather deflationary position discuss recent major books on the philosophy of mathematics. about set theory. It is not just all very productive, but also a good deal of fun! I have a book out on Gödel’s Theorems, and am working Will it continue? The collapse of serious logic teaching in on another on the consistency of arithmetic. (Yes, of course it is many British universities (partly because of the dire state of school mathematics?) means that the number of students enthused to go on to do graduate work in related areas of philosophy is in serious decline. Even our own undergraduates seem less logic-minded than their predecessors. Worrying for us who think that logic matters. But for the moment, it is good to report that an area of philosophy at the very heart of the Cambridge tradition does continue to flourish here.

Dr Peter Smith, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy. He blogs at logicmatters.blogspot.com

From the Editor 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 Phone: +44 1223 331889 Fax: +44 1223 335091 email: [email protected] A downloadable version of the Newsletter is available from the Faculty website: http://www.phil.cam.ac.uk/ The deadline for the next issue is 30th January 2010.

The Faculty gratefully acknowledges support for the newsletter from Polity Press.

Philosophy at Cambridge page 8 May 2009