Terms such as occurrent and non-occurrent causation, introduced in a 1952 essay, provide the framework for contemporary debates regarding agent-causal and event-causal free will. Charlie Dunbar Broad, a United Kingdom philosopher, meticulously mapped these conceptual distinctions while examining the intersection of scientific theory, ethics, and psychical research throughout the twentieth century.
Academic Formation and Early Career
Born in Harlesden in 1887, Broad attended Dulwich College from 1900 until 1906. He secured a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, and completed his studies in 1910 with First-Class Honours. Following his graduation, he became a Fellow of Trinity College. He held an assistant lectureship at the University of St Andrews for a decade before moving to Bristol University in 1920. By 1923, he returned to Trinity College as a lecturer.
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Broad served as the Knightbridge Professor of Moral Philosophy at Cambridge for two decades, starting in 1933. His methodology involved separating philosophy into critical and speculative branches. He utilized the Principle of Exceptional Cases to analyze concepts by testing them against abnormal scenarios. His publications included Five Types of Ethical Theory in 1930 and a two-volume examination of McTaggart's philosophy.
Psychical Research and Empiricism
As a member of the Society for Psychical Research, serving as president in 1935 and 1958, Broad investigated the philosophical implications of psychic phenomena. He argued that empirical evidence of events like telekinesis or backward causation would challenge fundamental principles concerning dualism and the limitations of human perception. He also critically reviewed data from Samuel Soal, which was later contested.
Science and Philosophical Engagement
Broad advocated for the synthesis of philosophy and science, warning that scientists who neglect philosophy risk viewing the world solely as a physico-chemical system. He distinguished between inspective empirical propositions, based on immediate mental acquaintance, and inferred empirical propositions derived through inductive or deductive reasoning. His 1923 book, Scientific Thought, remains a core text for his approach to these distinctions.
Fast facts
- Born: 1887, Harlesden
- Died: 1971, Cambridge
- Educated at: Dulwich College; Trinity College
- Knightbridge Professor of Moral Philosophy: 1933–1953
- President of the Aristotelian Society: 1927–1928, 1954–1955
- Member of: Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences; American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Questions readers ask
What is the distinction between critical and speculative philosophy according to Broad?
Critical philosophy involves analyzing concepts in science and daily life through rigorous objection, while speculative philosophy attempts to synthesize human experience into a coherent view of Reality.
Did C. D. Broad support legal changes regarding homosexuality?
Yes, in 1958, he joined other public figures in a letter to The Times advocating that homosexual acts should no longer be classified as criminal offenses.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Cambridge and University of St Andrews
