C. J. F. Williams

Christopher John Fardo Williams ( born December 31, 1930 in Walsall, † March 25 1997 in Bristol ) was a British philosopher and historian of philosophy.

Life

Williams grew up in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, on. After visiting Shrewsbury School, he studied at Balliol College, University of Oxford Greats ( Ancient History and modern and ancient philosophy ) and graduated in 1953 with a first class degree from. During his studies, he converted to Roman Catholicism and became a novice in the Downside Abbey, to enter the Benedictine Order. Shortly thereafter, he became so ill from poliomyelitis that he was dependent for the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Williams settled for an academic career and became first assistant lecturer at the University of Hull (1962-1965), before taking up a post as lecturer at the University of Bristol ( 1965-1972 ). There was to the reader (1972-1989) and finally appointed professor ( 1989-1996 ). He retired in 1996. Despite his disability Williams commuted between Bristol and Midsomer Norton, the place of residence of his parents, and he regularly visited and most philosophical congresses. He remained until his death due to a cardiac arrest active. His last translation was published posthumously.

Williams was editor of the philosophical journal Analysis.

Research priorities

Williams worked in the field of philosophical logic. He assumed that basic concepts such as existence, truth and identity in the philosophical tradition were misunderstood and that in particular the metaphysics have led to their confusion. Williams tried to show that they can be lit by a detailed analysis of their use. However, Williams was not an ordinary language philosopher. He produced a detailed analysis of the terms by the means of symbolic logic. In this Gottlob Frege's thoughts based access he was influenced by Arthur Prior and Peter Geach, also a Catholic philosopher. The three special individual research projects into existence, truth and identity he summarized in a fourth book easier to understand.

In addition, Williams also served as editor and translator in the field of ancient philosophy works ( Aristotle, De generatione et corruptione; Venetus Paul, Tractatus de necessitate et contingentia futurorum, John Philoponus, over Aristotle's treatise On growth and decay ).

Writings (selection )

Monographs

• What is Truth? Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1976 - review by OR Jones. On Truth: A Reply to CJF Williams, in: Analysis Vol 31, No. 1 (Oct., 1970), pp. 24-29, online.
• What is Existence? Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1981 - Review by Thomas P. Flint, in:. The Philosophical Review Vol 93, No. 1 (Jan., 1984), pp. 131-134, online.
• What is Identity? Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1989 - Review by Robert Elliot, in:. Mind New Series, Vol 100, No. 3 (Jul., 1991), pp. 421-424, online.
• Being, Truth and Identity. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1992.

Text editions and translations

• Aristotle's De generatione et corruptione. Translated with Notes. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1982 ( Clarendon Aristotle Series). - Review by James Longrigg, in: The Classical Review ( New Series ) 35.2, 1985, Ss. 386-387, online.
• Logica Magna. Prima pars: Tractatus de necessitate et contingentia futurorum Pauli Veneti. Ed. with an English translation and notes by C.J.F. Williams. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1991 ( Classical and medieval logic texts 8).
• Philoponus: On Aristotle, On Coming -to- Be and Perishing 1.1-5, trans. by Christopher J. F. Williams, Duckworth, London 1999 ( Ancient Commentators on Aristotle ), ISBN 0-7156-2852-6.
• Philoponus: On Aristotle, On Coming -to- Be and Perishing 1.6-2.4, trans. by Christopher J. F. Williams, Duckworth, London 1999 ( Ancient Commentators on Aristotle ), ISBN 0-7156-2854-2.