Philippa Foot - Personal Life and Education

Personal Life and Education

Foot was the daughter of Esther Cleveland (who was born in the White House), and a granddaughter of U.S. President Grover Cleveland. Her paternal grandfather was Sir Frederick Albert Bosanquet, the Common Serjeant of London from 1900 to 1917.

Foot began her career in philosophy as a student and tutor at Somerville College, Oxford. She spent many hours there in debate with G.E.M. Anscombe, who persuaded her that non-cognitivism was misguided.

For many years Foot held the position of Griffin Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Los Angeles.

She was one of the founders of Oxfam and an atheist. She was at one time married to the historian M. R. D. Foot.

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