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British Philosophers
| Ayer, A.J | 1910 - 89 | Former MI6 agent. Most notable ideas on Logical positivism, emotivist ethics and verification principle. |
| Bacon, Francis | 1561 - 1626 | 1st Viscount St.Albans. Also known as Scientist, Lawyer, Author and Statesman. served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor. Known as the 'Father of Empiricism'. Knighted in 1603. Created Baron Verulam in 1618 and Viscount St Alban in 1621. |
| Bacon, Roger | 1214 - 1294 | Also known as Doctor Mirabilis. A Friar and Scholar. Order of Friars Minor. 'Opus Majus' work on mathematics and alchemy. |
| Bentham, Jeremy | 1748 - 1832 | English jurist and legal/social reformer. Best known for utilitarianism and animal rights. His skeleton is famously preserved at University College, London. |
| Hobbes, Thomas | 1588 - 1679 | Backed Absolutism for the Sovereign. Natural equality of all men. Modern founder of social contract tradition. Leviathan - major work on foundation of the state and legitimate government and origination of the social contract. |
| Locke, John | 1632 - 1704 | 'Father of Liberalism'. Developed epistemology and political philosophy. |
| Mill, John Stuart | 1806 - 73 | Also an economist and civil servant. Social Theory, Political Theory and Political Economy. Proponent of utilitarianism. MP, liberal political philosophy. 'Harm Principle'. Early liberal feminism. |
| Moore, G.E | 1873 - 1958 | One of the founders of Analytic tradition. Involved ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge University. Key member of Bloomsbury Group. |
| Paine, Thomas | 1737 - 1809 | Liberalism, Enlightenment, Republicanism, Radicalism. 'Rights of Man'. 'Age of Reason'. |
| Russell, Bertrand | 1872 - 1970 | Also a Mathematician, Logician, Social Critic and Historian. Nobel Prize Literature 1950. 'Analytic Philosophy', 'Logical Atomism', 'Russell's Paradox' and 'Russell's Teapot'. |
| Spencer, Herbert | 1820 - 1903 | Sociologist, Biologist and Classical Liberal Political Theorist. Most famous for coining the phrase 'Survival of the Fittest'. School - Evolutionism, Positivism and Classical Liberalism. Works - 'Priciples of Biology' strongly based around Darwen's Theory of Evolution'. |
| Whitehead, Alfred | 1861 - 1947 | Also a Mathematician. Strong influence on Analytic Philosophy. |
| William of Ockham | 1288 - 1348 | |
| Williams, Bernard | 1929 - 2003 | |