Roger Teichmann, a Lecturer in Philosophy at St Hilda’s College, dives into the remarkable life of Elizabeth Anscombe, a trailblazer in moral philosophy. They discuss her staunch objections to the use of nuclear weapons, calling it immoral due to the massive civilian casualties. Teichmann highlights her critiques of traditional moral views and her emphasis on intention in ethics, reshaping philosophical discourse. Anscombe's journey under Ludwig Wittgenstein and her bold defiance of societal norms illustrate her influential legacy in modern philosophy.
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Anscombe's Conversion
Anscombe's parents, worried about her Catholic conversion, sent a vicar to dissuade her.
Unfazed, she debated transubstantiation and sent him away.
insights INSIGHT
Wittgenstein's Influence
Anscombe studied under Wittgenstein, who was working as a hospital porter while lecturing on philosophy of mathematics.
His later focus on ordinary language's role in meaning influenced Anscombe's work on intention and action.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Mutual Respect
Though reportedly not keen on female philosophers, Wittgenstein had great affection for Anscombe, calling her "old man" or "old boy".
He tolerated no fools, implying Anscombe's intellectual prowess.
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G.E.M. Anscombe's "Intention" is a seminal work in philosophy of action, profoundly impacting how we understand intentionality and its role in ethical considerations. Anscombe challenges traditional views by focusing on the descriptive aspects of intentional actions, moving away from the search for a singular, defining characteristic of intention. Her analysis emphasizes the importance of understanding the context and reasons behind actions, rather than reducing them to mere physical or psychological states. The book's influence extends beyond philosophy of action, shaping discussions in ethics and the philosophy of mind. Anscombe's work continues to be studied and debated, making "Intention" a cornerstone of contemporary philosophical thought.
Language, Truth and Logic
A.J. Ayer
In this book, A.J. Ayer presents a robust argument for logical positivism, a philosophical school that emphasizes the importance of empirical verification for meaningful discourse. Ayer argues that statements are either analytically true (true by definition) or synthetically true (verified through empirical experience). He dismisses metaphysical and ethical statements as meaningless because they cannot be empirically verified. The book also introduces the concept of emotivism, where ethical statements are seen as expressions of emotions rather than factual claims. Ayer's work had a significant impact on Anglo-American philosophy and continues to influence philosophical debates on truth, meaning, and the nature of knowledge.
Summa theologica
Thomas Aquinas
The Summa Theologica is a comprehensive work divided into three parts. The first part deals with God, the creation of the world, angels, and the nature of man. The second part is subdivided into two sections: the first part of the second part discusses general principles of morality and law, while the second part of the second part addresses morality in particular, including individual virtues and vices. The third part, left unfinished by Aquinas, focuses on the person and work of Christ and the sacraments. The work also includes a posthumous supplement that concludes the third part and discusses Christian eschatology. Aquinas drew on Aristotelian and Augustinian influences and aimed to integrate faith and reason in his theological arguments[1][2][4].
The Republic
Plato
Nicomachean Ethics
Aristotle
The Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle's most renowned work on ethics, focusing on the science of the good for human life. The text is divided into ten books and discusses the concept of eudaimonia, often translated as 'happiness' or 'flourishing,' which is achieved through living a virtuous life. Aristotle argues that eudaimonia is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, emphasizing the importance of reason, moral virtues, and the pursuit of excellence. The work also explores the division of the soul, the role of rationality in human life, and the ultimate goal of human activity, which is to achieve happiness through virtuous actions and a complete life[1][2][4].
The Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
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Ludwig Wittgenstein
Philosophical Investigations
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Published posthumously in 1953, 'Philosophical Investigations' is a seminal work by Ludwig Wittgenstein that challenges many of the ideas presented in his earlier work, 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus'. The book is divided into two parts and consists of short observations or 'remarks' that delve into topics such as the theory of language, language games, meaning, symbols, concepts, and categories. Wittgenstein argues that the meaning of a word is derived from its use within the context of a language-game, rejecting the idea that words gain meaning by referencing objects or mental representations. He emphasizes the importance of understanding language as a tool for communication and social interaction, rather than as a system for representing objective reality[2][4][5].
In 1956 Oxford University awarded an honorary degree to the former US president Harry S. Truman for his role in ending the Second World War. One philosopher, Elizabeth Anscombe (1919 – 2001), objected strongly.
She argued that although dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki may have ended the fighting, it amounted to the murder of tens of thousands of innocent civilians. It was therefore an irredeemably immoral act. And there was something fundamentally wrong with a moral philosophy that didn’t see that.
This was the starting point for a body of work that changed the terms in which philosophers discussed moral and ethical questions in the second half of the twentieth century.
A leading student of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, Anscombe combined his insights with rejuvenated interpretations of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas that made these ancient figures speak to modern issues and concerns. Anscombe was also instrumental in making action, and the question of what it means to intend to do something, a leading area of philosophical work.
With
Rachael Wiseman, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Liverpool
Constantine Sandis, Visiting Professor of Philosophy at the University of Hertfordshire, and Director of Lex Academic
Roger Teichmann, Lecturer in Philosophy at St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford
In Our Time 
