Background
McCloskey, Henry John was born on July 11, 1925 in Melbourne, Australia.
Ethical institutionist environmental philosophy political liberal ln*sMoral philosophy political philosophy
McCloskey, Henry John was born on July 11, 1925 in Melbourne, Australia.
University of Mel* bourne (BA 1948. Manuscripts and Archives 1949, PhD 1952, LittD 178).
1953-1955, Lecturer in PhilosophyUniversity of Western Australia, Nedlands. 1955-1969. Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Reader m Philosophy, University of Melbourne, ParkviHefrom 1969, Professor of Philosophy, La Trobe University, Bundoora.
In 1969 he provided what one reviewer describes as ‘the most comprehensive statement °f an Intuitionist view that I have seen'. In part the hook is a continuation of the debates concerning such issues as the relationship between fundamental moral concepts, the analysis of moral conflict and the nature of intrinsic goodness which were a feature of early twentieth-century mtuitionism. Even more significant, however, Werc his uncompromising criticisms of nonc°gnitivist views of the relationship between fact and value, the speech act account of meaning and Ihe nature of moral reasoning; criticisms which came to be widely accepted amongst philosophers m later years. McCloskey defended the intuitionist commitment to synthetic a priori moral truths, to a plurality of basic moral principles and to the Possibility of conflict amongst these basic principles. Accepting such views led him into sharp conflict with utilitarians and his attacks on that view foreshadowed many of the criticisms of Mill which subsequently appeared in 1971. McCloskey’s work on political liberalism and °n human rights is clearly influenced by his moral theory. Distinctive interpretations are offered of PHma facie rights such as the right to life, to Pnvacy and to freedom of expression, all of them grounded in respect for human personhood and autonomy. The importance of his work in these fields was widely recognized. Major survey articles were devoted to lengthy and respectful examinations of his ideas. Under- ‘ymg much of McCloskey’s work is a commitment to liberal democracy, although he believes that no Philosopher has successfully articulated the liberal ideal. McCloskey explains that J. L. Mackie’s writlngs on the problem of evil persuaded him to change from being a committed Christian to be'ng a philosophical atheist, a view which he defends in the book God and Evil (1974). Ecological themes are prominent in McCloskey s later writings; he explores human duties to present and future generations, to the preservation of wildlife and to the care of endangered species. One reviewer commented on his 1983 book: ‘It is human and liberal, philosophically tough minded and strongly committed to solving ecological problems’.