Skip to content
Coordinates of ThoughtHome of Philosophy
Join

World Philosophy Atlas

Melbourne

  • Melbourne

Oceania · Analytic, Buddhist

Melbourne has been a centre of Australian philosophy since the mid-twentieth century. David Armstrong taught at the University of Melbourne from 1956 to 1964, and Peter Singer, born in the city in 1946, studied there before Oxford. Frank Jackson studied mathematics and philosophy at the university and later held a chair at Monash University. Graham Priest was Boyce Gibson Professor of Philosophy from 2000 to 2013, a chair C. A. J. Coady also held, and Greg Restall taught there from 2013 to 2021. Michael Smith studied and taught at Monash, and Toby Ord took degrees in arts and computer science at Melbourne.

When

  • 1956–2021 Melbourne philosophy From Armstrong's arrival to Restall's departure.

Schools and institutions

  • University of Melbourne Armstrong, Priest, Coady, Restall and Garfield taught here.
  • Monash University Jackson held a chair here from 1978; Smith studied and taught here.

Thinkers

  • Peter Singer b. 1946born here, 1946 (Born in Melbourne on 6 July 1946.); studied here (Educated at the University of Melbourne; part-time laureate professor there from 2005.)
  • David Armstrong 1926 – 2014taught here, 1956–1964 (Settled in Melbourne in 1956 for a career at the University of Melbourne.)
  • Frank Jackson b. 1943studied here (Took mathematics and philosophy at the University of Melbourne; chair at Monash, in Melbourne, from 1978.)
  • Graham Priest b. 1948taught here, 2000–2013 (Boyce Gibson Professor of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne; emeritus from 2013.)
  • Toby Ord b. 1979studied here, 2002 (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science (Hons) in computer science at the University of Melbourne, completed in 2002.)
  • Michael Smith b. 1954studied here, 1980 (BA (1975) and MA (1980) at Monash University; later lecturer and reader there (1984-1994).)
  • Greg Restall b. 1969taught here, 2013–2021 (Professor of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne before moving to St Andrews in 2021.)
  • C. A. J. Coady b. 1936taught here (Formerly Boyce Gibson Professor of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne; later Professorial Fellow in its Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics.)
  • Jay L. Garfield b. 1955taught here (Professor of philosophy at the University of Melbourne, alongside his posts at Smith College.)

Sources: Britannica: Peter Singer · Wheeler Centre: Peter Singer · Obituaries Australia (ANU): David Malet Armstrong · National University of Singapore: Frank Cameron Jackson · Graham Priest: curriculum vitae · University of Melbourne, Faculty of Arts: Rising star Dr Toby Ord · Michael Smith: curriculum vitae · University of St Andrews: Prof Greg Restall · Wheeler Centre: Tony Coady · Jay L. Garfield: CV and biographical note

Other places in Oceania