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Celebration of a Century

100 Years at The Royal Institute of Philosophy

100 Years at The Royal Institute of Philosophy

Founded in 1925 by a group of renowned scholars, public officials and other notable individuals, the Royal Institute of Philosophy has been driven by its mission ‘to advance the education of the public in the subject of philosophy’. As we celebrate our Centenary, take a closer look at the Institute’s history, initiatives, and achievements that have allowed TRIP to grow into the UK’s largest independent charitable foundation devoted to widely promoting philosophical thinking.

Our Work

Our Work

This year in fact marks a Triple-Centenary for TRIP: celebrating 100 years as an organisation, the inception of our first Lecture Series, and the launch of our flagship journal, Philosophy.
To learn more about our projects, which impact thousands annually, click here.

Our History

Our History

From the very first meeting – attended by the likes of Bertrand Russell who helped outline the plans for a London-based philosophical institute –  through to the attainment of Royal status, the establishment of cornerstone journals like Philosophy, the launch of our flagship lecture series, and inauguration of various funding campaigns, the Royal Institute of Philosophy has had an extraordinary journey. Explore our history in full here.

Real Philosophy, For Everyone

Real Philosophy, For Everyone

In its long history, the Royal Institute has undertaken remarkable work that has positively impacted many individuals. The following slides showcase testimonials from some who have benefited from TRIP’s initiatives. Read more about our achievements here.

Timeline

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Archive

Our archive is a time machine, transporting us across a century of philosophical thought and connecting us with generations of thinkers who have shaped the discipline. Preserving a wealth of ideas, debates, and discoveries, it offers a unique window into the evolution of philosophy over the last 100 years.

From records of the first official council meeting and the appointment of our first president, Lord Balfour, to evidence of the many ways we have supported schools, the archive stands as a testament to the enduring power of philosophical inquiry. As we celebrate our centenary, we invite you to explore this rich history—a collection of voices, arguments, and ideas that continue to inspire and challenge us.
By looking back, we gain new perspectives on the present and future of philosophy. And by engaging with the archive, we cement ourselves in history, ensuring that the conversations of the past remain alive and meaningful for generations to come.

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100 Papers That Shaped Our Thinking

To mark our centenary, are celebrating 100 Papers That Shaped Our Thinking—a collection of the most influential contributions published in our journals, handpicked and curated by our current President, Professor Jo Wolff. These papers, which we will be releasing every four weeks, reflect the depth and diversity of philosophical inquiry over the past hundred years, from classic debates to pioneering perspectives that continue to inspire discussion today. As we look back on a century of thought, we also look forward to new ideas, new challenges, and the ongoing mission of making philosophy accessible to all.

  1. Samuel Alexander (1926), Art and Science
  2. Richard Swinburne (1968), The Argument from Design
  3. Alwynne Smart (1968), Mercy
  4. Thomas Nagel (1998), Conceiving the Impossible and the Mind-Body Problem
  5. Rebecca Buxton (2019), Reparative Justice for Climate Refugees
  6. Cora Diamond (1978), Eating Meat and Eating People
  7. J. R. Lucas (1961), Minds, Machines, and Gödel
  8. Kathleen V. Wilkes(1980), More Brain Lesions
  9. Ruth Chadwick (1982), Cloning 
  10. Bernard Williams (2000), Philosophy as a Humanistic Discipline
  11. Hilary Putnam (2001), Reply to Bernard Williams’ “Philosophy as a Humanistic Discipline” 
  12. Marcus G Singer (2004), The Concept of Evil
  13. Igor Primoratz (1989), Punishment as Language
  14. Anthony Quinton (1962), Spaces and Times
  15. C.A.J. Coady (1985), The Morality of Terrorism
  16. W.D. Ross (1929), The Ethics of Punishment
  17. Peter Geach (1973), Omnipotence
  18. Bertrand Russell (1927), Substance
  19. P.O. Bodunrin (1981), The Question of African Philosophy
  20. Quentin Skinner (1966), The Limits of Historical Explanations
  21. John Dunn (1968), The Identity of the History of Ideas
  22. Richard Sorabji (1974), Body and Soul in Aristotle
  23. Leonard Hill (1930), The Philosophy of a Biologist
  24. Joanna North (1987), Wrongdoing and Forgiveness
  25. David Lewis (1969), Lucas against Mechanism
  26. Leon Litwinski (1974), The Psychology of “Mine”
  27. John Harris (1975), The Survival Lottery
  28. Peter Singer (1977), “Utility” and the Survival Lottery
  29. A E Taylor (1939), The Ethical Doctrine of Hobbes
  30. Jürgen Habermas (2004), Religious Tolerance—The Pacemaker for Cultural Rights
  31. Jean Austin (1968), Pleasure and Happiness
  32. Wolf Mays (1952), Can Machines Think?
  33. Michael Polanyi (1966), The Logic of Tacit Inference
  34. P.F. Strawson (1961), Social Morality and Individual Ideal
  35. R. G. Collingwood (1928), The Limits of Historical Knowledge
  36. E.J. Lowe (2000), Causal Closure Principles and Emergentism
  37. A.N. Prior (1959), Thank Goodness That’s Over
  38. H.D. Lewis (1948), Collective Responsibility
  39. D.E. Cooper (1928), Collective Responsibility
  40. Elizabeth Anscombe (1958), Modern Moral Philosophy
  41. Julia Annas (1976), Plato’s Republic and Feminism
  42. Susan Stebbing (1927), Abstraction and Science
  43. Amélie Oksenberg Rorty (1982), From Passions to Emotions and Sentiments
  44. Samantha Vice (2003), Literature and the Narrative Self

  45. J.L. Mackie (1978), The Law of the Jungle

  46. Mary Midgely (1979), Gene-juggling
  47. Richard Dawkins (1981), In Defence of Selfish Genes
  48.  Kristján Kristjánsson (2008), An Aristotelian Critique of Situationism
  49.  A.C. Ewing (1953), What Would Happen if Everybody Acted like Me?
  50.  P.M.S. Hacker (2002), Is There Anything it is Like to be a Bat?
  51. C.D. Broad (1949), The Relevance of Psychical Research to Philosophy
  52. Aurel Kolnai (1976), Dignity

Centenary Distinguished Members

The newly created role of Centenary Distinguished Member gives individuals the opportunity to work with us to expand our audiences; bringing new opportunities for learning to those both academically involved with philosophy and those who are new to the subject.

Our Centenary Distinguished Members take the role of advising the Royal Institute on audiences that may be interested by content or events not currently delivered, and working with the Board of the Royal Institute as a ‘special advisor’ in areas of professional or personal knowledge and expertise – among other tasks.

Our first Centenary Distinguished Member is Dr William Godwin KC.

Find out more