Nikhil Krishnan publishes new history of philosophy at Oxford

Nikhil Krishan (2007, PPE) has recently released A Terribly Serious Adventure: Philosophy at Oxford 1900-60. The book is an exciting investigation of the history of philosophy at Oxford in the early- to mid-twentieth century. Nikhil Krishnan is a Fellow and Director of Studies in Philosophy at Robinson College, Cambridge. He completed his BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Exeter College before going on to a BPhil and DPhil at Corpus Christi and Balliol, respectively.

Amidst world wars and the rise of fascism, philosophers in Oxford grappled with questions of morality, language, and the meaning of life. These thinkers maintained friendships and debated fervently with one another, but also drew their insights from the wider world. In contrast to the perception of academics sequestered in their ivory towers, Oxford philosophers were codebreakers, diplomats, and soldiers in both World Wars, and they often drew on their real-world experience in creating their greatest works. These writers produced a moral vision of philosophy that maintains its relevance today.

A Terribly Serious Adventure has been named a Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year 2023, a New York Times ‘Critics’ Pick’ Book of 2023, and a Country Life Best Book of 2023. The Times Literary Supplement wrote that the book “Beautifully portrays – and exemplifies – the combined wit and profundity, exuberance and rigour, of Oxford analytic philosophy.”

Learn more and purchase A Terribly Serious Adventure here.