Philosophical Society of England

The Philosophical Society of England (PSE) was founded in 1913 by a group of largely amateur 'philosophers' concerned to provide an alternative to the formal university-based discipline.

These courses caused a minor academic tussle in the 1950s over the status of its diplomas of associateship, triggered by an ill-advised attempt to award them to all the then UK university Philosophy Professors an honorary fellowship (FPhS).

To carry out this function, the society published its own journal, The Philosopher, set up local groups for lectures and discussions and held regular conferences, often free of charge.

The journal continues to be published to this day, with recent notable contributors including Mary Midgley, Timothy Williamson, and Jason Stanley.

[1] Its most high-profile president has been Professor Brenda Almond, known for her work in the cause of 'Applied Philosophy' in the United Kingdom, who helped shepherd the society to its 100th anniversary, celebrated with a special conference in Malmesbury in 2012.