Peter Millican
Encyclopedia
Peter Millican is Professor of Philosophy at Hertford College, Oxford University in the United Kingdom
. His primary interests include the philosophy of David Hume
, philosophy of religion
, philosophy of language
, and epistemology. Millican is particularly well known for his work on David Hume, and from 2005 until 2010 was Co-Editor of the journal Hume Studies
. He is also an International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster
, and has a strong interest in the field of Computing
and its links with Philosophy. Recently he has developed a new degree programme at Oxford University, in Computer Science and Philosophy, due to accept its first students in 2012. Millican's expertise in computational analysis of language was relevant in the Bill Ayers presidential election controversy concerning the authorship of Obama's autobiography
, Dreams from My Father
.
in Kent
, United Kingdom
. He read Mathematics
and then Philosophy
and Theology
at Lincoln College
, Oxford from 1976–1980. Staying at Lincoln College, Millican took the Philosophy
B.Phil in 1982 (with a thesis in Philosophical Logic). Millican later obtained his Ph.D.
with a thesis on Hume
, Induction
and Probability
, and also a research M.Sc. in Computer Science
, while employed at Leeds.
from 1983, Millican was appointed in 1985 to a permanent Lectureship at Leeds University, teaching both Computing
and Philosophy
. After 20 years at Leeds, in 2005 Millican was appointed as Gilbert Ryle Fellow in Philosophy at Hertford College, Oxford
, promoted to Reader in Early Modern Philosophy in 2007, and Professor of Philosophy in 2010. In 2009, he was appointed as the first "David Hume Illumni Fellow" at Edinburgh University, a visiting position that he has occupied during 2010-11.
More recently, Millican has published a series of substantial papers with the aim of deciding the so-called "New Hume" debate, which has been the most prominent controversy in Hume scholarship over the last 20 years ("New Humeans" take Hume to be a believer in a form of causation that goes beyond the constraints of his famous "two definitions of cause"). The first of these appeared in a 2007 collection on the debate, the second in the July 2009 issue of Mind (journal)
, and the third (responding to replies) in a 2010 collection on causation. The Mind paper concludes that "the New Hume interpretation is not just wrong in detail - failing in the many ways documented above - but fundamentally misrepresents the basis, core, point and spirit of Hume's philosophy of causation". A reviewer of the third paper judges that "Millican convincingly argues that none of his opponents' attempts to [answer his criticisms] is plausible. I am not alone in thinking the New Hume debate has run its course; as Millican says at the end of his essay, 'it is time to call it a day' (p. 158)."
Much of Millican's other research, while not itself historical, has focused on Humean topics such as induction, probability, and philosophy of religion, but also on philosophy of language. His most significant non-Humean papers are on the logic of definite descriptions (1990), the morality of abortion
(1992), and Anselm's Ontological Argument
(2004).".
, Dreams from My Father
was written or ghost-written by Ayers. In a series of articles in American Thinker and WorldNetDaily
, author Jack Cashill
claimed that his own analysis of the book showed Ayers' writing style, and backed this up citing analyses by American researchers using Millican's Signature software. In late October 2008, shortly before the US Presidential election, US Congressman
Chris Cannon
and his brother-in-law attempted to hire Millican to prove Ayers' authorship using computer analysis. Millican refused after they would not assure him in advance that his results would be published regardless of the outcome. After some analysis Millican later criticized the claim, saying variously that he had "found no evidence for Cashill's ghostwriting hypothesis", that it was "unlikely" and that he felt "totally confident that it is false".
, becoming British Champion in 1990. This brought him the British Master title, and he then became an International Master in 1993 by winning his Semifinal group in the 19th World Correspondence Championship. With an international rating of 2610 (ranked 31 in the world), Millican was invited to play in the NPSF-50 "super tournament" (the first-ever Category 15 tournament, with an average rating over 2600). By coming fifth - after Ulf Andersson
, Gert Jan Timmerman
, Joop van Oosterom
, and Hans-Marcus Elvert :de:Hans-Marcus Elwert, Millican qualified in 1997 as an International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. His primary interests include the philosophy of David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
, philosophy of religion
Philosophy of religion
Philosophy of religion is a branch of philosophy concerned with questions regarding religion, including the nature and existence of God, the examination of religious experience, analysis of religious language and texts, and the relationship of religion and science...
, philosophy of language
Philosophy of language
Philosophy of language is the reasoned inquiry into the nature, origins, and usage of language. As a topic, the philosophy of language for analytic philosophers is concerned with four central problems: the nature of meaning, language use, language cognition, and the relationship between language...
, and epistemology. Millican is particularly well known for his work on David Hume, and from 2005 until 2010 was Co-Editor of the journal Hume Studies
Hume Studies
Hume Studies is an interdisciplinary journal that publishes articles on the philosophical thought of David Hume. The journal is published by the in April and November. There is open access to the journal's first 30 volumes. Members of the Hume Society may access all volumes....
. He is also an International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster
International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster
International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster is a title created by the FIDE in 1953, second only to that of world correspondence champion. Now awarded by the International Correspondence Chess Federation.-American ICCGMs:* Hans Jack Berliner, GM 1968...
, and has a strong interest in the field of Computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
and its links with Philosophy. Recently he has developed a new degree programme at Oxford University, in Computer Science and Philosophy, due to accept its first students in 2012. Millican's expertise in computational analysis of language was relevant in the Bill Ayers presidential election controversy concerning the authorship of Obama's autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Dreams from My Father
Dreams from My Father
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance is a memoir by United States President Barack Obama. It was first published in July 1995 as he was preparing to launch his political career, five years after being elected the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review in...
.
Education
Peter Millican attended Borden Grammar SchoolBorden Grammar School
Borden Grammar School is a selective boys grammar school situated in the centre of Sittingbourne, Kent, England which educates students aged 11–18. Whilst the school mainly admits boys, a small number girls have been educated at the school within the Sixth Form. The school holds specialist status...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He read Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and then Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Lincoln College
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
, Oxford from 1976–1980. Staying at Lincoln College, Millican took the Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
B.Phil in 1982 (with a thesis in Philosophical Logic). Millican later obtained his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
with a thesis on Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
, Induction
Induction
-General use:* Induction , induction of childbirth* Rite of passage** Introduction of an individual into a body such as the armed forces** Formal introduction of a priest into possession of the position to which she or he has been presented and instituted...
and Probability
Probability
Probability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...
, and also a research M.Sc. in Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, while employed at Leeds.
Academic career
After teaching at the University of GlasgowUniversity of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
from 1983, Millican was appointed in 1985 to a permanent Lectureship at Leeds University, teaching both Computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. After 20 years at Leeds, in 2005 Millican was appointed as Gilbert Ryle Fellow in Philosophy at Hertford College, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, promoted to Reader in Early Modern Philosophy in 2007, and Professor of Philosophy in 2010. In 2009, he was appointed as the first "David Hume Illumni Fellow" at Edinburgh University, a visiting position that he has occupied during 2010-11.
Research
Millican is best known for his research on David Hume, notably on the development of Hume's philosophy, and on the interpretation of his writings on induction and causation. In a 1995 paper, Millican gave a detailed analysis of Hume's famous argument concerning induction, aiming to reconcile its apparent sceptical thrust with Hume's clear endorsement of inductive science: the previous interpretations that he was attacking had either condemned Hume as an inconsistent sceptic, or denied the scepticism entirely. His 2002 collection included a paper refining his analysis, and arguing against recent revisionary non-sceptical interpretations (particularly those proposed by Don Garrett and David Owen) - this debate is still ongoing. The collection brought together a range of papers by eminent Hume scholars that emphasised the distinctive importance of Hume's work in the 1748 Enquiry. Millican's first chapter also developed an overall view of the Enquiry as presenting an implicit "manifesto for inductive science", with the controversial implication that the Enquiry, rather than the Treatise, should be taken as presenting Hume's definitive perspective on these things.More recently, Millican has published a series of substantial papers with the aim of deciding the so-called "New Hume" debate, which has been the most prominent controversy in Hume scholarship over the last 20 years ("New Humeans" take Hume to be a believer in a form of causation that goes beyond the constraints of his famous "two definitions of cause"). The first of these appeared in a 2007 collection on the debate, the second in the July 2009 issue of Mind (journal)
Mind (journal)
Mind is a British journal, currently published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Mind Association, which deals with philosophy in the analytic tradition...
, and the third (responding to replies) in a 2010 collection on causation. The Mind paper concludes that "the New Hume interpretation is not just wrong in detail - failing in the many ways documented above - but fundamentally misrepresents the basis, core, point and spirit of Hume's philosophy of causation". A reviewer of the third paper judges that "Millican convincingly argues that none of his opponents' attempts to [answer his criticisms] is plausible. I am not alone in thinking the New Hume debate has run its course; as Millican says at the end of his essay, 'it is time to call it a day' (p. 158)."
Much of Millican's other research, while not itself historical, has focused on Humean topics such as induction, probability, and philosophy of religion, but also on philosophy of language. His most significant non-Humean papers are on the logic of definite descriptions (1990), the morality of abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
(1992), and Anselm's Ontological Argument
Ontological argument
The ontological argument for the existence of God is an a priori argument for the existence of God. The ontological argument was first proposed by the eleventh-century monk Anselm of Canterbury, who defined God as the greatest possible being we can conceive...
(2004).".
Philosophy and computing
As an educator, Millican's most distinctive contributions have been on the interface between Computing and Philosophy, devoting most of his career at Leeds to developing the teaching of Computer Science and programming to students in the Humanities. More recently, he has championed a new degree in Computer Science and Philosophy at Oxford University (see Degrees of the University of Oxford), which is due to start in 2012. To encourage students in the Humanities to get involved in Computing, Millican developed a number of user-friendly software teaching systems.Obama autobiography controversy
In 2008 and 2009 some Republican commentators advanced claims that Obama's autobiographyAutobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Dreams from My Father
Dreams from My Father
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance is a memoir by United States President Barack Obama. It was first published in July 1995 as he was preparing to launch his political career, five years after being elected the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review in...
was written or ghost-written by Ayers. In a series of articles in American Thinker and WorldNetDaily
WorldNetDaily
WorldNetDaily is an American web site that publishes news and associated content from a U.S. conservative perspective. It was founded in May 1997 by Joseph Farah with the stated intent of "exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuse of power" and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.-History:In...
, author Jack Cashill
Jack Cashill
Jack Cashill is an American author and "right-wing journalist." Cashill is a weekly contributor to the WorldNetDaily website and executive editor of Ingram's Magazine in Kansas City, Missouri....
claimed that his own analysis of the book showed Ayers' writing style, and backed this up citing analyses by American researchers using Millican's Signature software. In late October 2008, shortly before the US Presidential election, US Congressman
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
Chris Cannon
Chris Cannon
Christopher Black "Chris" Cannon was a member of the United States House of Representatives, for the Republican Party, representing the third district of Utah from 1997 - 2009....
and his brother-in-law attempted to hire Millican to prove Ayers' authorship using computer analysis. Millican refused after they would not assure him in advance that his results would be published regardless of the outcome. After some analysis Millican later criticized the claim, saying variously that he had "found no evidence for Cashill's ghostwriting hypothesis", that it was "unlikely" and that he felt "totally confident that it is false".
Main publications
- "Content, Thoughts, and Definite Descriptions", Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume 64 (1990), pp. 167–203
- "The Complex Problem of Abortion", in Philosophical Ethics in Reproductive Medicine (co-edited by Millican with D. Bromham, M. Dalton, and J. Jackson, Springer Verlag: 1992), pp. 161–88.
- "Hume's Argument Concerning Induction: Structure and Interpretation", in David Hume: Critical Assessments, edited by Stanley Tweyman (Routledge, 1995), vol. 2 pp. 91–144 http://www.routledge.com/books/David-Hume-isbn9780415020121
- The Legacy of Alan Turing, volume 1 (Machines and Thought http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780198235934.do) and volume 2 (Connectionism, Concepts, and Folk Psychology http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780198235941.do?), (both co-edited by Millican with Andy Clark, Oxford University Press: 1996)
- "The Context, Aims, and Structure of Hume's First Enquiry", in Reading Hume on Human Understanding (2002, below), pp. 27–65
- "Hume's Sceptical Doubts concerning Induction", in Reading Hume on Human Understanding (2002, below), pp. 107–73
- "Critical Survey of the Literature on Hume and the First Enquiry", in Reading Hume on Human Understanding (2002, below), pp. 413–74
- Reading Hume on Human Understanding: Essays on the First Enquiry (Oxford, Oxford University Press: 2002) http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780198752103.do
- "The One Fatal Flaw in Anselm's Argument", Mind 113 (2004), pp. 437–76
- Hume's Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (Oxford: Oxford University Press: 2007) http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199549900.do
- "Humes Old and New: Four Fashionable Falsehoods, and One Unfashionable Truth", Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume 81 (2007), pp. 163–99
- "Against the New Hume", in The New Hume Debate, revised edition, edited by Rupert Read and Kenneth Richman (Routledge: 2007), pp. 211–52 http://www.routledge.com/books/The-New-Hume-Debate-isbn9780415399753
- "Hume, Causal Realism, and Causal Science", Mind 118 (2009), pp. 647–712
- "Hume, Causal Realism, and Free Will", in Causation and Modern Philosophy, edited by Keith Allen and Tom Stoneham (Routledge: 2010), pp. 123–65 http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415883559/
- "Twenty Questions about Hume's 'Of Miracles'" in Philosophy and Religion, edited by Anthony O'Hear (Cambridge University Press: 2011), pp. 151-92 http://www.cambridge.org/gb/knowledge/isbn/item6583871/
Chess career
Millican played chess over-the-board in his youth, and captained Oxford University to victory in the National Chess Club Championship in 1983. He later turned to correspondence chessCorrespondence chess
Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
, becoming British Champion in 1990. This brought him the British Master title, and he then became an International Master in 1993 by winning his Semifinal group in the 19th World Correspondence Championship. With an international rating of 2610 (ranked 31 in the world), Millican was invited to play in the NPSF-50 "super tournament" (the first-ever Category 15 tournament, with an average rating over 2600). By coming fifth - after Ulf Andersson
Ulf Andersson
Ulf Andersson is a leading Swedish chess player. FIDE awarded him the International Master title in 1970 and the Grandmaster title in 1972 .-Career:...
, Gert Jan Timmerman
Gert Jan Timmerman
Gert Jan Timmerman is a Dutch chess player, most famous for being the fifteenth ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1996 and 2002....
, Joop van Oosterom
Joop van Oosterom
Joop van Oosterom is a Dutch billionaire and chess enthusiast. For many years he has staged the annual Melody Amber tournaments in Monaco, where world-class Grandmasters play rapid and blindfold games....
, and Hans-Marcus Elvert :de:Hans-Marcus Elwert, Millican qualified in 1997 as an International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster
International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster
International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster is a title created by the FIDE in 1953, second only to that of world correspondence champion. Now awarded by the International Correspondence Chess Federation.-American ICCGMs:* Hans Jack Berliner, GM 1968...
.