The term consequentialism entered the lexicon of analytic philosophy through a 1958 article written by G. E. M. Anscombe. A central figure in the development of analytical Thomism, she maintained a career that spanned decades at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, influencing fields from action theory to moral ethics through her rigorous, critical approach to traditional philosophical frameworks.
Early Education and Conversion
Born in Limerick in 1919 to a headmistress mother and a father who headed the science and engineering department at Dulwich College, she attended Sydenham High School before matriculating to St Hugh's College, Oxford, in 1937. During this early period, she converted to Catholicism, a faith she practiced throughout her life. In 1941, she married Peter Geach, also a philosopher and Catholic convert, with whom she had seven children.
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Her academic focus shifted significantly after she encountered Ludwig Wittgenstein’s work as an undergraduate. Securing a research fellowship at Newnham College, Cambridge, from 1942 to 1945, she studied directly under him. She became a trusted confidante, eventually being named as one of his three literary executors. Following Wittgenstein's death in 1951, she took responsibility for the translation and publication of his manuscripts, most notably his Philosophical Investigations.
Academic Career and Moral Stance
Though long associated with Somerville College, Oxford, she was elected Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge in 1970, holding the position until 1986. Her 1957 monograph Intention remains a foundational text in the philosophy of action. Throughout her life, she was unafraid of public controversy. She openly challenged British entry into World War II, protested the awarding of an honorary degree to Harry S. Truman, and maintained a public defense of Catholic teachings regarding contraception and abortion.
Professional Honors and Final Years
Her contributions to the field were recognized through her election as a Fellow of the British Academy in 1967 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1979. She received the Aquinas Medal in 1982 and held an honorary doctorate from the University of Navarre. In her final years, following a severe car accident in 1996, she remained in Cambridge under family care. She passed away from kidney failure in 2001 and was buried at the Ascension Parish Burial Ground.
Fast facts
- Born: 18 March 1919, Limerick
- Died: 5 January 2001, Cambridge
- Education: Sydenham High School, St Hugh's College, Newnham College
- Marriage: Peter Geach (1941)
- Key Publication: Intention (1957)
- Professional Role: Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge
- Awards: Aquinas Medal (1982), Fellow of the British Academy
- Burial: Ascension Parish Burial Ground
Questions readers ask
What is G. E. M. Anscombe's primary contribution to ethics?
She is credited with introducing the term consequentialism in her 1958 article 'Modern Moral Philosophy', which provided a significant critique of existing moral frameworks and influenced modern virtue ethics.
How did she become involved with Ludwig Wittgenstein?
After reading his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus as an undergraduate, she sought him out at Cambridge, attending his lectures and tutorials. He later designated her as one of his literary executors.
Achievements
- Fellow of the British Academy
- Aquinas Medal — 1982
- Held posts at University of Oxford
- Fields: philosophy
