Sir Anthony John Patrick Kenny FBA (born Liverpool, 16 March 1931) is an English philosopher whose interests lie in the philosophy of mind, ancient and scholastic philosophy, the philosophy of Wittgenstein and the philosophy of religion. With Peter Geach, he has made a significant contribution to Analytical Thomism, a movement whose aim is to present the thought of St Thomas Aquinas in the style of modern philosophy by clearing away the trappings and obscurities of traditional Thomism. He is one of the executors of Wittgenstein's literary estate. It has been suggested that Contemporary philosophy be merged into this article or section. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This page lists some links to ancient philosophy, although for Western thinkers prior to Socrates, see Pre-Socratic philosophy. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Analytic philosophy is a generic term for a style of philosophy that came to prominence during the 20th Century. ... A Phrenological mapping of the brain. ... The history of philosophy is the study of philosophical ideas and concepts through time. ... Wittgenstein and Hitler in school photograph taken at the Linz Realschule in 1903. ... Saint Thomas Aquinas (also Thomas of Aquin, or Aquino; c. ... Fellows of the British Academy (FBA). ... Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... A Phrenological mapping of the brain. ... This page lists some links to ancient philosophy, although for Western thinkers prior to Socrates, see Pre-Socratic philosophy. ... Scholasticism comes from the Latin word scholasticus, which means that [which] belongs to the school, and is the school of philosophy taught by the academics (or schoolmen) of medieval universities circa 1100–1500. ... Wittgenstein and Hitler in school photograph taken at the Linz Realschule in 1903. ... Philosophy of religion is the rational study of the meaning and justification ( or rebuttal) of fundamental religious claims, particularly about the nature and existence of God (or gods, or the divine). ... Peter Thomas Geach (born 1919) is one of the foremost contemporary British philosophers. ... Analytical Thomism is a philosophical movement which promotes the interchange of ideas between the thought of Saint Thomas Aquinas (including the philosophy carried on in relation to his thinking, called Thomism), and modern analytic philosophy. ... Saint Thomas Aquinas (also Thomas of Aquin, or Aquino; c. ... Thomism is the philosophical school that followed in the legacy of Thomas Aquinas. ... A literary executor is a person with decision-making power in respect of the literary estate of an author who has died. ...

Biography

Kenny initially trained as a Roman Catholic priest at the Venerable English College, Rome, where he received the degree of S.T.L. He was ordained in 1955 and served as Curate in Liverpool 1959-63. Having received his D.Phil. from the University of Oxford (St Benet's Hall) in 1961, he also worked as an Assistant Lecturer in the University of Liverpool 1961-63. However, he questioned the validity of Catholic doctrine and is now an agnostic. He was returned to the lay state in 1963, but according to Canon law his priestly ordination remains valid. He was never dispensed from the obligation of clerical celibacy and was therefore excommunicated on his marriage to Nancy Gayley in 1966. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... . ... The Venerable English College is a seminary based in Rome for the training of priests for the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. ... A Licentiate in Sacred Theology, commonly known in academia as STL, is an advanced degree offered by colleges and universities specializing in theology. ... Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated Ph. ... The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. ... College name St. ... The University of Liverpool is a university in the city of Liverpool, England. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Canon Law is the ecclesiastical law of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Excommunication is religious censure which is used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...

1963-64 Kenny was Lecturer in Philosophy at Exeter and Trinity Colleges, Oxford and he served as University Lecturer 1965-78. From 1964 until 1978, he was a Fellow of Balliol, serving as Senior Tutor 1971-72 and 1976-78. He was Master of Balliol from 1978 to 1989 and subsequently an Honorary Fellow. During the period 1989-99 he was both Warden of Rhodes House (manager of the Rhodes Scholarship program) and Professorial Fellow of St John's College, and thereafter Fellow Emeritus. He was Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1984 to 2001 (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Development, 1999-2001). He retired in 2001. College name Exeter College Latin name Collegium Exoniense Named after Walter de Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter Established 1314 Sister college Emmanuel College, Cambridge Rector Ms Frances Cairncross JCR President Simon Heawood Undergraduates 299 MCR President Meredith Riedel Graduates 150 Location of Exeter College within central Oxford , Homepage Boatclub Exeter College... College name The College of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity and Sir Thomas Pope (Knight) Named after The Holy Trinity Established 1555 Sister College Churchill College President Sir Ivor Roberts KCMG MA JCR President Richard Appleton Undergraduates 298 MCR President Andrew Ng Graduates 105 Homepage Boatclub See also Trinity... College name Balliol College Named after John de Balliol Established 1263 Sister College St Johns Master Andrew Graham JCR President Jack Hawkins Undergraduates 403 MCR President Chelsea Payne Graduates 228 Homepage Boatclub Balliol College, founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in... Master is an English title. ... College name Balliol College Named after John de Balliol Established 1263 Sister College St Johns Master Andrew Graham JCR President Jack Hawkins Undergraduates 403 MCR President Chelsea Payne Graduates 228 Homepage Boatclub Balliol College, founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... College name St Johns College Collegium Divi Joannis Baptistae Named after Saint John the Baptist Established 1555 Sister College Sidney Sussex College President Sir Michael Scholar KCB JCR President Rhys Jones Undergraduates 381 Graduates 184 Homepage Boatclub St Johns College is one of the constituent colleges of the... The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. ...

Within the university, Kenny was Wilde Lecturer in Natural and Comparative Religion (1969-72), Speaker's Lecturer in Biblical Studies (1980-83), a member of the Hebdomadal Council (1981-93), Vice-Chairman of the Libraries Board (1985-88), Curator of the Bodleian Library (1985-88), and a Delegate, and member of the Finance Committee, of Oxford University Press (1986-93). From 1972 until 1973 he was the editor of The Oxford Magazine. He received the degree of D.Litt. in 1980 and the honorary degree of D.C.L. in 1987. Entrance to the Library, with the coats-of-arms of several Oxford colleges The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England is second in size only to the British Library. ... Oxford University Press (OUP) is a highly-respected publishing house and a department of the University of Oxford in England. ... A Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree. ... Some universities, such as the University of Oxford, award Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) degrees instead of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degrees. ...

He was a member of the Board of the British Library 1991-96 and Chairman 1993-96, and has served as Chairman of the Society for Protection of Science and Learning (1989-93), of the British National Corpus Advisory Board (1990-95), of the British Irish Association (1990-94), and of the Board of the Warburg Institute (1996-2000). He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1974 and served as a member of the Council of the Academy 1985-88, as Vice President 1986-88, and President 1989-93. British Library Ossulston St entrance, with distinctive red logo. ... The Warburg Institute is a research institution associated with the University of London. ... The British Academy is the United Kingdoms national academy for the humanities and the social sciences. ...

Kenny was Gifford Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh 1972-73, Stanton Lecturer at the University of Cambridge 1980-83, and Bampton Lecturer at Columbia University in 1983. He was a Visiting Professor at Chicago, Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, Cornell, Stanford and Rockefeller Universities. The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1582,[4] is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the worlds most prestigious universities. ... Columbia University is a private research university in the United States. ... The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. ... The University of Washington, founded in 1861, is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. ... The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (UM, U of M or U-M) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Michigan. ... Washington Avenue Bridge at night The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, almost always abbreviated U of M, and sometimes referred to as The U by locals, is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system. ... Cornell University is a private university located in Ithaca, New York, USA. Its two medical campuses are in New York City and Education City, Qatar. ... Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University (or simply Stanford), is a private university located approximately 37 miles (60 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco and approximately 20 miles northwest of San José in Stanford, California. ... Founders Hall Rockefeller University is a private university focusing primarily on graduate and postgraduate education research in the biomedical fields, located between 63rd and 68th Streets along York Avenue, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan island in New York City, New York. ...

He has been a member of the American Philosophical Society since 1993, and of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences since 1993, and an Honorary Fellow of Harris Manchester College, Oxford since 1996, and of the School of Advanced Study, University of London since 2002 (Senior Distinguished Fellow 2002-3). He has receveived the honorary degrees of D.Litt. from Bristol (1982), Liverpool (1988), Glasgow (1990), Trinity College, Dublin (1992), Hull (1993), Sheffield (1995), and Warwick (1995), of D.Hum.Litt. from Denison University, 0hio (l986) and Lafayette College, Pennsylvania (1990), and of D.C.L. from the Queen's University of Belfast (1994). College name Harris Manchester Named after Lord Harris of Peckham Established 1786 Principal The Revd Dr Ralph Waller JCR President Toby Fell-Holden Undergraduates 110 Graduates 40 Home page The Quad lawn, Harris Manchester College, Oxford Harris Manchester College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, England. ... The School of Advanced Study is a listed organisation of the University of London. ... A Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree. ... The University of Bristol is a university in Bristol, England. ... The University of Liverpool is a university in the city of Liverpool, England. ... Master of Theology (MTh) Dentistry Nursing Affiliations Russell Group, Universitas 21 Website http://www. ... Trinity College, Dublin TCD,corporately designated as the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by Elizabeth I, and is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin, Irelands oldest university. ... The Venn Building The University of Hull, also known as Hull University, is an English university located in Hull (or Kingston upon Hull), a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire. ... The University of Sheffield is a research university, located in Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. ... The University of Warwick coat of arms The University of Warwick is one of the leading universities in the United Kingdom. ... Aquatint of a Doctor of Divinity at the University of Oxford, in the scarlet and black academic robes corresponding to his position. ... Denison University is a private liberal arts and sciences college in Granville, Ohio, approximately 30 miles (50 km) east of Columbus. ... Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by the citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832. ... Some universities, such as the University of Oxford, award Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) degrees instead of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degrees. ... The Queens University of Belfast (QUB) is a university in Belfast, Northern Ireland; the university is often called Queens University Belfast. ...

Kenny was appointed Knight Bachelor by H.M. the Queen in 1992 and has been an Honorary Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn since 1999. The dignity of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Part of Lincolns Inn drawn by Thomas Shepherd c. ...

In October 2006, Kenny was awarded the American Catholic Philosophical Association's Aquinas Medal for his significant contributions to philosophy.

Philosophy

Although deeply interested in traditional Catholic teaching, Kenny now explicitly defines his position as an Agnostic, explaining in his What I believe both why he is not a theist and why he is not an atheist. His 2006 book What I believe has (as Ch 3) "Why I am Not an Atheist" which begins: "Many different definitions may be offered of the word 'God'. Given this fact, atheism makes a much stronger claim than theism does. The atheist says that no matter what defintion you choose, 'God exists' is always false. The theist only claims that there is some definition which will make 'God exists' true. In my view, neither the stronger nor the weaker claim has been convincingly established". He goes on "the true default position is neither theism nor atheism, but agnosticism ... a claim to knowledge needs to be substantiated; ignorance need only be confessed."^[1] The term agnosticism and the related agnostic were coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869. ...

Kenny has written extensively on Thomas Aquinas and modern Thomism.

In The Five Ways, Kenny deals with St. Thomas' five proofs of God. In it, Kenny argues that none of the proofs Thomas sets out are wholly valid, and instead, sets out to show the flaws in the five ways. His arguments range from the problem of Aristotelian motion in a modern scientific context, to the ability of contingent beings to cause eternality in other contingent beings. His objections all focus on a modern interpretation of St. Thomas. Some have objected to Kenny's reading of Thomas, largely on the accusation that Kenny fails to interact with Thomas' account of Essence and being, and therefore, the conclusions he draws are not wholly accurate in the way Thomas meant them.

In What is Faith?, Kenny addresses "the question of whether belief in God, and faith in a divine world, is a reasonable or rational state of mind."^[2]. He criticises the idea, "common to theists like Aquinas and Descartes and to an atheist like Russell" that "Rational belief [is] either self-evident or based directly or indirectly on what is evident" which he terms "foundationalism" following Plantinga^[3] pointing out that foundationalism is a Self refuting idea. Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 - March 7, 1274) was a Catholic philosopher and theologian in the scholastic tradition, who gave birth to the Thomistic school of philosophy, which was long the primary philosophical approach of the Roman Catholic Church. ... René Descartes René Descartes (IPA: , March 31, 1596 – February 11, 1650), also known as Cartesius, worked as a philosopher and mathematician. ... Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell OM FRS (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970), was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician and advocate for social reform. ... Alvin Cornelius Plantinga (born 15 November 1932 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, of Frisian ancestry) is a contemporary American philosopher known for his work in epistemology, metaphysics, and the philosophy of religion. ... Self-refuting ideas are ideas or statements whose falsehood is a direct logical consequence of holding that they are true. ...

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Bibliography

• Kenny, A. (1963) Action, Emotion and Will. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-30374-5
• Kenny, A. (1963) Responsa Alumnorum of English College, Rome, 2 vols
• Kenny, A. (1968) Descartes
• Kenny, A. (1969) The Five Ways: St. Thomas Aquinas’ proofs of God’s existence. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-31845-9
• Kenny, A. (1973) Wittgenstein. Harmondsworth. The Penguin Press. ISBN 0-14-021581-6
• Kenny, A. (1974) The Anatomy of the Soul
• Kenny, A. (1975) Will, Freedom and Power
• Kenny, A. (1978) The Aristotelian Ethics: a study of the relationship between the Eudemian and Nicomachean ethics of Aristotle Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-824554-8
• Kenny, A. (1979) The god of the Philosophers. Oxford. OUP. ISBN 0-19-824594-7
• Kenny, A. (1980) Aquinas. New York: Hill and Wang. ISBN 0-8090-2724-0
• Kenny, A. (1982) The Computation of Style: an introduction to statistics for students of literature and humanities. Oxford & New York: Pergamon Press. ISBN 0-08-024282-0
• Kenny, A. (1986) A Path from Rome: An autobiography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-283050-3
• Kenny, A. (1988) God and Two Poets: Arthur Hugh Clough and Gerard Manley Hopkins. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 0-283-99387-1
• Kenny, A. (1989) The Metaphysics of Mind
• Kenny, A. (1990) The Oxford Diaries- of. Arthur Hugh Clough
• Kenny, A. (1991) Mountains: an anthology. London: John Murray. ISBN 978-0719546396
• Kenny, A. (1992) What is Faith? Essays in the philosophy of religion. Oxford: OUP. ISBN 0-19-283067-8
• Kenny, A. (1993) Aristotle on the Perfect Life. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-824017-1
• Kenny, A. (1993) Aquinas on Mind. London ; New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-04415-4
• Kenny, A. (ed) (1994) The Oxford History of Western Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-824278-6
• Kenny, A. (1997) A Brief History of Western Philosophy. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-20132-7
• Kenny, A. (1997) A Life in Oxford. London: John Murray. ISBN 0-7195-5061-0
• Kenny, A. (1998) A Brief History of Western Philosophy
• Kenny, A. (2001) Essays on the Aristotelian Tradition
• Kenny, A. (2002) Aquinas on Being. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-823847-9
• Kenny, A. (2002) Hon. Fellow, School of Advanced Study, Univ. of London
• Kenny, A. (2004) Ancient Philosophy : A New History of Western Philosophy, v. 1. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-875273-3
• Kenny, A. (2005) Arthur Hugh Clough: a poet’s life. London & New York: Continuum. ISBN 0-8264-7382-2
• Kenny, A. (2005) Medieval Philosophy : A New History of Western Philosophy, v. 2 OUP. ISBN 978-0198752752
• Kenny, A. (2005) The Unknown God: Agnostic Essays Continuum. ISBN 978-0826476340
• Kenny, A. (2006) What I Believe. London & New York: Continuum. ISBN 0-8264-8971-0
• Kenny, A. (2006) The Rise of Modern Philosophy : A New History of Western Philosophy, v. 3 OUP. ISBN 978-0198752776
• Kenny, A. & Kenny C. (2006) Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Utility. Imprint Academic. ISBN 978-1845400521
• Kenny, A. (2007) Philosophy in the Modern World: New History of Western Philosophy v. 4. OUP. ISBN 978-0198752790
• Kenny, A. & Kenny R. (2007) Can Oxford be Improved?. Imprint Academic. ISBN 978-1845400941

Notes and References

1. ^ What I Believe Ch 3
2. ^ What is Faith? p3
3. ^ ibid. pp9-10

Sources

• School of Advanced Study, University of London

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