Martin Hollis (philosopher)
Encyclopedia
Martin Hollis (14 March 1938 - 27 February 1998) was an English rationalist philosopher. O'Hagan argues that central to Hollis's rationalism was "the epistemological unity of mankind", the view that "some beliefs are universal . . . There are, because there have to be, percepts and concepts shared by all who can understand each other." This rationalism, of Hollis, was in its early formulations strongly influenced by Peter Strawson
and applied to understanding and explaining the approach of the social sciences.
. Educated at Winchester
, he did national service in the Royal Artillery
before reading PPE
at New College, Oxford
from 1958 to 1961. From 1961 to 1963 he studied at Berkeley
and Harvard
on a Harkness Fellowship
, encountering sociology
in California and the work of Quine
and Rawls
at Harvard, and meeting his future wife Patricia Wells, subsequently Baroness Hollis of Heigham.
Returning to England, Hollis worked from 1963 to 1966 at the Foreign Office
. "Sent to Heidelberg
to learn German, he returned to find himself posted to Moscow
. This was the last straw for a rational man, who was already moonlighting in Oxford, giving philosophy tutorials at New College and Balliol
. He left the FCO." Appointed to a philosophy post at the new University of East Anglia
in 1967, he remained in Norwich until his death. In 1972 he became Senior Lecturer, and in 1981 Professor. From 1980 to 1987 he was editor of Ratio
. He combined teaching and research with an increasing level of university administration, becoming Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University in 1992. For ten years he was also a Norwich JP
.
P. F. Strawson
Sir Peter Frederick Strawson FBA was an English philosopher. He was the Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at the University of Oxford from 1968 to 1987. Before that he was appointed as a college lecturer at University College, Oxford in 1947 and became a tutorial fellow the...
and applied to understanding and explaining the approach of the social sciences.
Biography
Martin Hollis was the son of a diplomat, and nephew of the MI5 director-general Roger HollisRoger Hollis
Sir Roger Henry Hollis, KBE, CB was a British journalist and secret-service agent, who was Director General of MI5 from 1956 to 1965.-Early years:...
. Educated at Winchester
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, he did national service in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
before reading PPE
PPE
PPE may stand for:*Palmoplantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome*Park Place Entertainment, now part of Caesar's Entertainment*Personal protective equipment*Philosophy, Politics and Economics, an academic degree*Polyphenyl ether...
at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
from 1958 to 1961. From 1961 to 1963 he studied at Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
on a Harkness Fellowship
Harkness Fellowship
The Harkness Fellowships are a programme run by the Commonwealth Fund of New York City. They were established to reciprocate the Rhodes Scholarships and enable Fellows from several countries to spend time studying in the United States...
, encountering sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
in California and the work of Quine
Willard Van Orman Quine
Willard Van Orman Quine was an American philosopher and logician in the analytic tradition...
and Rawls
John Rawls
John Bordley Rawls was an American philosopher and a leading figure in moral and political philosophy. He held the James Bryant Conant University Professorship at Harvard University....
at Harvard, and meeting his future wife Patricia Wells, subsequently Baroness Hollis of Heigham.
Returning to England, Hollis worked from 1963 to 1966 at the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
. "Sent to Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
to learn German, he returned to find himself posted to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. This was the last straw for a rational man, who was already moonlighting in Oxford, giving philosophy tutorials at New College and Balliol
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. He left the FCO." Appointed to a philosophy post at the new University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
in 1967, he remained in Norwich until his death. In 1972 he became Senior Lecturer, and in 1981 Professor. From 1980 to 1987 he was editor of Ratio
Ratio (journal)
Ratio is a peer-reviewed academic journal of analytic philosophy, edited by John Cottingham and published by Wiley-Blackwell. Although emphasising work predominantly from analytic philosophy, it does not exclusively publish in one tradition and includes a variety of philosophical topics...
. He combined teaching and research with an increasing level of university administration, becoming Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University in 1992. For ten years he was also a Norwich JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.
Works
- (with E. J. Nell) Rational Economic Man, 1975
- Models of Man, 1977
- Invitation to Philosophy, 1985
- The Cunning of Reason, 1988
- (with S. Smith) Explaining and Understanding International Relations, 1990
- The Philosophy of Social Science, 1994
- Trust within Reason, 1998.