Foreign thinker
Anthony Kenny
Anthony KennyHistory of philosophy and analytic philosophyBritish
Life and Thought
Anthony Kenny is a distinguished British philosopher and historian of philosophy. Through his works on Aristotle, Aquinas, Wittgenstein, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, and the history of Western philosophy, he has become an important figure in analytic philosophy and philosophical education in the English-speaking world.
Anthony John Patrick Kenny was born in Britain in ۱۹۳۱. He was first educated within the Catholic theological tradition, served for a time as a Catholic priest, and later turned toward academic philosophy and historical and analytic research. Kenny was long associated with the University of Oxford and held important roles in British scholarly and cultural institutions.
Kenny has worked across many areas of philosophy, from philosophy of mind and philosophy of action to philosophy of religion, ethics, and the history of philosophy. He has written important works on philosophers such as Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, and Wittgenstein, and has sought to bring classical, medieval, and analytic traditions into clear and instructive conversation.
His well-known works include the multi-volume History of Western Philosophy, A New History of Western Philosophy, and books on Aquinas, Wittgenstein, philosophy of mind, and the history of religious thought. Kenny’s importance lies in being both a precise historian of philosophy and an educational writer who explains difficult philosophical concepts in clear and orderly prose for academic and general readers.
