The materials on this page make the philosophy of the Quartet available to children and young people. Please let us know if you find them useful. We’d love to hear your ideas for any further resources or projects.
Mapping the Quartet
Our new website maps the Quartet’s lives in Oxford, Cambridge and London and connects current enthusiasts with each other.
Metaphysical Animals Book Club
The Metaphysical Animals Book Club guides you through the chapters of our book with philosophical and thought provoking questions, designed to enrich discussions and spark ideas. Appropriate for existing book clubs, groups of friends & students, and everyone who wants to engage more deeply with the book.
Young Poets (6-16)
What do philosophy and poetry have in common? How can poetry and philosophy help us to address climate change and think about the global emergency of COVID-19? These illustrated worksheets explore how philosophical thinking can help us to reflect on the pandemic, climate change, society and friendship. If you’re inspired, become a Midgley young Poet and send us a poem to be added to the Midgley Archive in Durham University.
Podcast Series (15+)
In Summer 2020, Amy Ward from Mount Allison University in Canada joined us as a student intern and volunteer podcaster. You can listen to Amy’s fantastic podcasts (complete with original musical compositions!) on the Quartet below. Enjoy!
Resources for Schools (16-18)
The materials on this page include videos developed by Dr Liz McKinnell, who was philosopher-in-residence at the Midgley Archive from 2019-2021. These are designed to fit with topics in the AQA and OCR AS and A-Level curricula. Mary Midgley’s resources are accompanied by an introduction aimed at A-Level students penned by our intern Amia Guha in summer 2022. Clear links to the AQA A-Level curricula are provided. Please let us know if you find them useful. We’d love to hear your ideas for any further resources or projects.
Reading Programme (17+)
This reading list introduces undergraduates, graduates and reading groups to the work of the wartime Quartet.
Philosophy by Postcard (all ages)
What would you put on a postcard to a philosopher? Inspired by Iris Murdoch’s love of letter-writing, in 2019, 100 philosophers answered 100 questions from members of the public, many from children. Read the questions, share your own answers, and see what the philosophers said. Perhaps you want to design your own postcard?