Mary Hesse, British philosopher of science, Died at 91

Mary Brenda Hesse was born on October 15, 1924, in Reigate in Surrey, England and died on October 2, 2016)

She was an English philosopher of science and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, known for her work on the relevance of analogies and models in science.

Mary’s book Models and Analogies are in Science.

She studied at the Imperial College London, where she received her doctorate in 1948. She further acquired a Master of Science in 1949 from University College London.

Following her graduation Hesse started her academic career as lecturer in Mathematics at the University of Leeds.

From 1955 to 1959 Mary taught Philosophy of Science and History at the University of London.

During 1960 Hesse joined Wolfson College, Cambridge, where from 1975 to her retirement in the 1990s she was Philosopher of Philosophy of Science.

Mary’s many PhD students includes Paul Cilliers (PhD, 1994).

She was also a was Visiting Professor at several Universities in Europe and the United States.

Mary was elected a Fellow of the British Academy and in 1979 chosen as president of the Philosophy of Science Association.

Her work has focussed on the philosophical interpretation of logic and scientific methods, as well as to the principles of the natural and social sciences.

Hesse suggested a scientific methodology based on an analogical modelling approach.

Hesse distinguishes those models in formal and material, as well as positive, negative and neutral analog properties

Mary Hesse passed away at 91 years old.