Peter Lipton: Cambridge historian dies
Peter Lipton, the first Hans Rausing Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science, and long-serving head of the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge died on 25 November 2007. Lipton collapsed after a squash game; his wife was with him when he died.
Professor Lipton was recognized as one of the leading philosophers of science and epistemologists in the world. Born in New York in 1954, he studied physics and philosophy at Wesleyan University and Oxford where he earned his PhD in 1985 with a thesis on explanation and evidence. From 1985 to 1990 he was Assistant Professor at Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. He joined the Cambridge Department of History and Philosophy of Science in 1991 as Assistant Lecturer, quickly rising to the rank of Lecturer in 1994 and becoming holder of the Departmental Chair in 1997. From June 1996 until his death he also acted as Head of Department.
Lipton was an extraordinarily gifted teacher. His lecture courses on philosophy of science and philosophy of mind attracted big crowds of students and were marked by the most unusual clarity, critical acumen and his wonderful – and justifiably world-renowned – sense of humour. One year the second-year students so wished to show their appreciation for his performance that in the last lecture of the year they showered him with flowers. Many a student was drawn into philosophy through these lectures. Lipton's seminars and reading groups were similarly legendary. His 'Epistemology Reading Group' – modelled on A. J. Ayer's Oxford discussion circle that he had attended – was the philosophical centre of gravity in the Department. Lipton supervised numerous students at all levels; he was always working with between six and ten PhD students.
Lipton lectured widely both within and outside of the academia. He enjoyed bringing philosophical ideas to schools, colleges and summer schools; the frequency with which he was invited back by the same institutions attests to his incredible talent in this domain. He felt very strongly about making Cambridge more accessible to students from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, and made significant contributions towards this goal. It was in keeping with this spirit of openness that Lipton's brilliant inaugural lecture in March 1998 as Professor was simultaneously staged as a contribution to the University's Science Week to a vast audience, many of them schoolchildren. Lipton's many contributions to the internet site 'Ask Philosophers' also fall in this category. He memorably defended his involvement with the site by saying: 'It's very important that philosophers get out more.'...
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Professor Lipton was recognized as one of the leading philosophers of science and epistemologists in the world. Born in New York in 1954, he studied physics and philosophy at Wesleyan University and Oxford where he earned his PhD in 1985 with a thesis on explanation and evidence. From 1985 to 1990 he was Assistant Professor at Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. He joined the Cambridge Department of History and Philosophy of Science in 1991 as Assistant Lecturer, quickly rising to the rank of Lecturer in 1994 and becoming holder of the Departmental Chair in 1997. From June 1996 until his death he also acted as Head of Department.
Lipton was an extraordinarily gifted teacher. His lecture courses on philosophy of science and philosophy of mind attracted big crowds of students and were marked by the most unusual clarity, critical acumen and his wonderful – and justifiably world-renowned – sense of humour. One year the second-year students so wished to show their appreciation for his performance that in the last lecture of the year they showered him with flowers. Many a student was drawn into philosophy through these lectures. Lipton's seminars and reading groups were similarly legendary. His 'Epistemology Reading Group' – modelled on A. J. Ayer's Oxford discussion circle that he had attended – was the philosophical centre of gravity in the Department. Lipton supervised numerous students at all levels; he was always working with between six and ten PhD students.
Lipton lectured widely both within and outside of the academia. He enjoyed bringing philosophical ideas to schools, colleges and summer schools; the frequency with which he was invited back by the same institutions attests to his incredible talent in this domain. He felt very strongly about making Cambridge more accessible to students from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, and made significant contributions towards this goal. It was in keeping with this spirit of openness that Lipton's brilliant inaugural lecture in March 1998 as Professor was simultaneously staged as a contribution to the University's Science Week to a vast audience, many of them schoolchildren. Lipton's many contributions to the internet site 'Ask Philosophers' also fall in this category. He memorably defended his involvement with the site by saying: 'It's very important that philosophers get out more.'...