Philippa Foot was a leading twentieth-century philosopher who revived virtue ethics and challenged prevailing views about moral judgement. Best known for the trolley problem and her theory of “natural goodness,” she argued that virtues are grounded in human nature and essential to human flourishing. Her work continues to shape contemporary debates in ethics, character, and moral psychology.
Mary Midgley was a pioneering British philosopher who challenged reductionism, defended the importance of ethical and ecological understanding, and argued that human life requires multiple forms of explanation beyond science alone. Her work on animals, moral imagination and intellectual humility remains deeply relevant today.
Shakespeare never wrote philosophy, yet few have explored human nature more deeply. Through his characters, he turned theatre into a mirror of the soul — and showed that wisdom lives in contradiction.
Explore the life and ideas of Thomas Hobbes, the father of modern political thought. Learn about his views on religion, society, power balance, and the relevance of his book, Leviathan, today.