Four Personal Stories

 From The Philosopher, Volume LXXXVIII No. 1 Special History Issue

The History of the Philosophical Society

 

 Four Personal Histories

The Treasurer's Story:

BETTY JUDGE

In 1955, my husband, Dr Rupert Judge, met the Reverend Doctor Albert Belden, a Congregational Minister who was a Vice-President and also Chairman of the Council of the Philosophical Society of England. Shared interests in Christianity, Philosophy and Education enabled their friendship to flourish and so Rupert joined the Society. He became a Council Member in 1956 and was appointed Registrar and Treasurer in 1958, an office he held continuously for twenty eight years until his death in 1986. The Society was not a professional body, although it numbered many distinguished professional philosophers amongst its patrons and members, but its aim was to promote the study of practical philosophy amongst the public and that appealed to us.

There were then about four hundred members and meetings were held in Caxton Hall, London, as well as in various branches throughout the country. Social functions including luncheons and an Annual Dinner were organised and I remember conversations with Lord Dunsany, Professor George Catlin, Professor Mace, Dr Jennings-White and many other interesting philosophical discussions with eminent speakers.

Today, there is certainly a need for ordinary people, not only scholars, to have a philosophy of life - a love of wisdom and seeking the means to apply it. That is why I am still a member of the Society, and I enjoy reading The Philosopher. 

I became Registrar and Treasurer when Rupert died, a position I held for twelve years. Thus we served the Society for forty years - with no regrets as we people are still being encouraged to learn about philosophy, and increase our knowledge and understanding of life, with the help of present-day philosophers! 

The Editor's Story:

ALAN HOLLOWAY

One of the self-styled 'reforming newcomers' was Alan Holloway, who joined in 1963 after seeing a copy of the Journal in the library and whose active service of the Society in one capacity after another spans almost exactly the twenty-five years of this chapter, based on his research for the History. 

Alan Holloway read Philosophy of Religion and Ethics, with Plato's Republic as a central work, as part of his London B.D. At the Anglican Theological College, where he was Director of Studies, he found himself called upon to teach philosophy. He took to it, as he put it later, "like a duck to water. Nothing helps one to learn like having to teach others". 

In 1964 he was awarded F.Ph.S. for a thesis on philosophical aspects of prayer, and this formed the basis for a Masters degree from London in 1967. He became one of the Society's examiners, was elected to Council and appointed a Deputy Chairman in 1968. In the same year he was made the Society's Director of Studies, and produced a scheme for new academic regulations and a new syllabus for the Associateship and Fellowship, which came into effect in January 1969. 

The Chairman's Story:

MIKE BAVIDGE

 I was introduced to the Society in the late Seventies by Keith Dowling who was one of the Wednesday Group, academics in and around Newcastle, who met weekly to try out their philosophical ideas on each other. I felt then, and still feel, that there could be an alliance between the Philosophical Society and educational institutions that provide opportunities for philosophical study to the general public. 

My first impression was that the Society had a strong ecclesiastical feel.We met at Church Hall, in a committee room with portraits of ecclesiastical dignitaries around the walls. The Society seemed to consist predominately of quite elderly gentleman. Although they were old-fashioned they were by no means naive. On the contrary, arriving down in London for Council meetings I felt like a provincial innocent. Most of the officers of the Society had been members of the Society for many years and they knew what they wanted the Society to be. 

If we ever had the idea that two or three youngish Northern Turks could take over the Society and mould it anew, we soon realised that, though we were elected as officers and our work was appreciated, there was to be no speedy change in the direction that the Society would take. It was not until the next generation of enthusiasts arrived that significant changes began to be made and the Society put itself in a position to play a significant role in spreading the philosophical word.

There is an appetite among people, inside and outside the academic world, for philosophical reflection on our society and its culture, which the British education system, they feel, does not satisfy. The mission of the Society and the aims of the Adult Education Department of Newcastle University for which I work, is very similar. Nevertheless, after some bruising encounters with the world of academic philosophy, there was in the Society an understandable ambivalence towards the philosophical establishment. So the idea of a closer relations met with a mixed response. It still does. 

The Director of Studies' Story:

GEOFFREY KLEMPNER

Online note book:Thursday, 9th December:

 I received an e-mail this morning from Martin Cohen, editor of The Philosopher. ïCan you e-mail me something for the History on yourself and the Society: What is good about it - what you like about it, why you got involved, what you hope to do in the future? - all in less than 250 words!' A tough proposition! But one of the functions of this notebook is to look at the history of my involvement with philosophy. So the request comes at an opportune moment. I regard my personal discovery of the Philosophical Society as a milestone. How then did it all start? 

One day on the bulletin board in the Sheffield Philosophy Department I noticed a green sheet advertising an organisation I'd never heard of. ïThe Philosophical Society of England Founded 1913.Í The idea seemed a little quaint, but intriguing. I took the risk and joined. Little did I realise that a world would open up. I rediscovered what it was like to be enthusiastic about philosophy. I remembered the feeling I had when I borrowed my first philosophy book from the local library, the feeling of embarking on an adventure. Somehow, along the way, I had forgotten that philosophy is an adventure. I formed the picture in my mind of an ideal student who was in many ways like me when I started out. 

When I set up Pathways to Philosophy my ideal student was an enthusiast, someone who was prepared to go out on a limb rather than play it safe. The students I taught in the Department rarely took risks. The lecturers I knew wanted to get their work published, so they weren't too keen on taking risks either. I didn't see anything wrong, initially, in promoting Pathways in competition with the Society. Competition is a spur to progress. But it was inevitable that we would team up, our interests were so compatible. So they made me Director of Studies. It is still early days. To date, Pathways has enrolled students from 23 countries. I would love to see Philosophical Society mentors all over the world. I am sure that day will come before long.