ABSTRACT
Mary Midgley had a brief teaching career at Reading and Newcastle Universities, but it was only after taking early retirement that her writing took off. In addition to publishing eighteen books, Midgley has published hundreds of articles, both in academic journals and in the popular press, and has become one of Britain's leading public intellectuals. In a piece on Midgley, Ian Kidd characterises scientism as reflecting three central and interconnected 'urges' or 'impulses': the imperialistic urge, the salvific urge and the absolutist urge. Midgley argues that it is tempting for scientists to build 'grand theories' that purportedly apply to all areas of life. Midgley's critique of scientism is closely connected with her thoughts on the role of imagination, creativity, vision and myth. At heart, Midgley is motivated by the conviction that philosophy is not a remote esoteric 'armchair' activity, but that it should be a public and practical concern, with its feet firmly planted in the soil.
