Elizabeth Anscombe - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Gertrude Elizabeth Margaret Anscombe (1919-2001), known as Elizabeth Anscombe or G.E.M. Anscombe, stands as one of the 20th century's most formidable philosophical minds, whose work fundamentally reshaped modern moral philosophy and our understanding of action, intention, and philosophical psychology. A student and later literary executor of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Anscombe emerged from the intellectual crucible of mid-century Oxford to become a philosophical force in her own right, challenging conventional wisdom with razor-sharp logic and uncommon moral courage.
Born in Limerick, Ireland, Anscombe's intellectual journey began at Oxford, where she studied Classics and Philosophy at St. Hugh's College. The 1940s marked a pivotal period in her development, as she encountered Wittgenstein at Cambridge, an meeting that would profoundly influence both her philosophical method and her approach to philosophical problems. Her translation of Wittgenstein's "Philosophical Investigations" became the standard English version, establishing her as a primary interpreter of his later philosophy.
Anscombe's own philosophical contributions reached their apex with the publication of "Intention" (1957), a work that revolutionized action theory and continues to influence contemporary discussions in philosophy of mind and moral psychology. Her fearless intellectual stance was perhaps most dramatically displayed in her opposition to Oxford's decision to award an honorary degree to Harry Truman, whom she considered a mass murderer for his role in the atomic bombings of Japan. This moral conviction characterized her philosophical work, particularly in essays like "Modern Moral Philosophy" (1958), which introduced the term "consequentialism" and sparked a revival of virtue ethics.
Anscombe's legacy extends far beyond her published works. As a Catholic philosopher in a largely secular academic environment, she demonstrated how religious conviction could coexist with rigorous philosophical inquiry. Her influence continues to grow, with contemporary scholars mining her work for insights into artificial intelligence, moral psychology, and action theory. The question she posed about the relationship between intention and moral responsibility remains as pertinent today as when she first raised it, particularly in an era of autonomous systems and algorithmic decision-making. Anscombe's life and work remind us that philosophical inquiry, at its best, combines intellectual rigor with moral courage and a willingness to challenge prevailing orthodoxies.