Greg McElwain

I am Professor and Chair of Philosophy and Religious Studies at The College of Idaho, USA, and a Research Associate of In Parenthesis. I first interacted with Midgley while in grad school in 2005 and later visited and interviewed her yearly in Newcastle from 2011-18, which provided valuable background for my book Mary Midgley: An Introduction (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2019). My research has focused on the intersection of animal and environmental ethics, where Midgley features prominently. I have fond memories of visiting with her in Newcastle and am truly grateful for our collaboration during the final years of her life.

Midgley's philosophy is as relevant as ever and it is especially encouraging to see that she continues to influence and inspire. I try to keep up with the relevant Midgley happenings on Twitter and curate @MidgleyQuotes.

Selected publications and talks:

McElwain, Gregory S. “Mary Midgley: Philosophical Plumber.” Times Literary Supplement: Footnotes to Plato. October 27, 2021. Available online at https://www.the-tls.co.uk/categories/regular-features/footnotes-to-plato/.

McElwain, Gregory S. Panelist, London School of Economics Forum for Philosophy, Co-Sponsored by the British Society for the History of Philosophy: “Mary Midgley and Why She Matters,” London School of Economics, London, UK, November 30, 2020. Available as a podcast and viewable online at https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/theforum/mary-midgley-and-why-she-matters/. 

McElwain, Gregory S. “Relationality in the Thought of Mary Midgley.” Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements, Volume 87 (A Centenary Celebration: Anscombe, Foot, Midgley, Murdoch) (2020): 235-248. doi: 10.1017/S1358246119000225.

McElwain, Gregory S. Mary Midgley: An Introduction. (London: Bloomsbury Academic Press, 2019).

McElwain, Gregory S. “Midgley at the Intersection of Animal and Environmental Ethics.” Les Ateliers de l'Éthique / The Ethics Forum 13, no. 1 (2018): 143-158. doi: 10.7202/1055122ar.

McElwain, Gregory S. “The Mixed Community.” In Science and the Self: Animals, Evolution, and Ethics: Essays in Honour of Mary Midgley (Routledge Studies in Contemporary Philosophy), edited by Ian James Kidd and Liz McKinnell, 41-51. London: Routledge, 2016.