Mary Midgley’s Forgotten War Against the Scientific Priests of ‘Nothing But’

Mary Midgley (1919–2018) was a distinguished British philosopher whose work critically examined the intersections of science, ethics, and human experience. Recognized for her insightful critiques of reductionism and scientism, Midgley’s philosophy championed the importance of holistic understanding in both the natural world and human relationships.

She argued that a reductionist approach—often described as the “nothing but” fallacy—oversimplifies complex human behaviors and moral questions. By reducing the rich tapestry of human existence to mere biological mechanisms, we neglect our interconnectedness with other life forms.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

William Shakespeare

The Late-Blooming Radical

Born in 1919 in Ealing, near London, Midgley’s path was unconventional. Her philosophical career spanned more than six decades, yet she only published her first book, Beast and Man, at the age of fifty-nine. Despite this late entry, her prolific output of over 200 publications cemented her legacy as a pioneering thinker.