Mary Midgley is one of the most important moral philosophers working today. Over the last thirty years, her writings have informed debates concerning animals, the environment and evolutionary theory. The invited essays in this volume offer critical reflections upon Midgley's work and further developments of her ideas, and include topics such as the moral status of animals, the concept of wickedness, science and mythology, the Gaia Hypothesis, Midgley's relationship to modern moral philosophy, and her work with Irish Murdoch, along with the first complete bibliography of Midgley's writings.

Foreword by Jane Goodall Introduction Ian James Kidd and Liz McKinnell Part I: Animals and Environments 1. Animals, Attitudes, and Moral Theories David E. Cooper 2. Animals, Real and Virtual Stephen R.L. Clark 3. The Mixed Community Gregory McElwain 4. How Pigs Talk: The Need for 'Earthy Realism' Françoise Wemelsfelder Part II: Human Nature 5. Beast and Man - 35 Years On Raymond Tallis 6. Is There Such a Thing as Consensus Morality? Mary Warnock Part III: Minds, Human and Animal 7. Extended Minds and the Nature of Seeing Rupert Sheldrake 8. Naturalism, Science, and the Philosophy of Mind Jane Heal 9. Minding Animals Ian Ground Part IV: Science and Evolution 10. Doing Science an Injustice: Midgley on Scientism Ian James Kidd 11. Genes and Geniality: Dawkins, Midgley, and The Selfish Gene Andrew Brown 12. Was Plato a Gorilla? Mary Midgley's Search for a Metaphysics of Evolution Simon Conway Morris Part V: Women and the World 13. On Being a 'Full-time Feminist': Midgley and Feminist Philosophy Liz McKinnell 14. 'Slipping out over the Wall': Midgley, Anscombe, Foot, and Murdoch Benjamin Lipscomb 15. Afterword Mary Midgley