In Oxford during the Second World War four women philosophers came to prominence. Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Iris Murdoch, and Mary Midgley were friends and met to discuss their ideas, particulary about ethics. Benjamin Lipscomb, author of a recent book about them, The Women Are Up To Something, speaks to David Edmonds in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.
This is philosophy bites with me, David.
Edmonds, and me, Nigel Warburton.
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Just before the second World War, four women, all of whom would become philosophers, went to study at Oxford University.
They became friends and discussed ethics.
In, in particular, they each developed a distinctive approach to what was then an almost entirely male dominated subject.
Benjamin Lipscomb has written about them, their lives, their ideas, and their legacy.
Benjamin Lipscomb, welcome to philosophy bites.
Oh, it's such a privilege to be here.
The topic we're talking about today is four Oxford female philosophers.
These four women come to prominence in the second half of the 20th century.
Very briefly.
Tell me something about them.
Let's do it alphabetically so we don't get ourselves into trouble, rather than by philosophical significance.
I might ask you about that later.
So let's start with Elizabeth Anscombe, who is a brilliant philosopher and a devout Catholic.
Yes, and a mother of seven.