News

Tribute from Lincoln University

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Dr Grant Tavinor, Senior Lecturer in the
Department of Tourism, Sport and Society, on 13 August 2025. After 22 years of dedicated
service to Lincoln University, Grant leaves a memorable mark on our whānau and his field. A respected philosopher and a popular lecturer, he was also a thoughtful colleague known for his dry wit and a deep ethic of care for the people around him.

Grant joined the then-Department of Social Science, Parks, Recreation and Tourism
(SSPRT) as a Lecturer in Philosophy in February 2003. After completing his PhD at the
University of Auckland, he quickly established himself as a forward-thinking scholar. In 2014,
he was promoted to Senior Lecturer, a testament to his hard work and commitment.
Describing himself as a "philosopher of the arts”, Grant was a pioneer in the aesthetics of
digital technology. His seminal 2009 book, The Art of Videogames, is widely regarded as a
foundational text, arguing that video games are a new form of representational art. He
continued to shape this emerging field with his books, The Aesthetics of Videogames (2018)
and The Aesthetics of Virtual Reality (2021). His dedication to his work also led him to serve
as an Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury in 2022.

Grant was deeply committed to the university community. He served on the Human Ethics
Committee for 14 years, holding the position of Chair from 2014 until his retirement from the
Committee in 2024. For this unwavering dedication, he was honoured with a Vice-
Chancellor's "Recognition of Service" award.

Described by his colleagues as a "quiet over-achiever" with a "deep ethic of care", Grant
was a popular teacher and a loyal member of the Faculty of Environment, Society and
Design. With a wonderful sense of humour and a thoughtful nature, he was a beloved
colleague whose intellect and interests touched many people across the university and
beyond.

Originally from Whangarei, Grant had a keen interest in music, particularly as an
accomplished drummer. He was also a devoted dog lover, mountain biker and cricket fan.

Our deepest sympathies are with Grant's family, friends, and all who knew him.

The School of Philosophy at the Australian National University is saddened to learn of the death of Peter Roeper, who is warmly remembered as a scholar and colleague.

Campus Visitor at the Australian National University 02 Jan 2019 - 28 Feb 2027

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter-Roeper

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/tributes-funerals/death-notices/604923/roeper-peter-karl-mitchell-act/

Max Cresswell, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Victoria University of Wellington (Te Herenga Waka), was known for his work in logic (especially modal logic) and semantics.

Cresswell joined the faculty of Victoria University of Wellington in 1963, retiring in 2001. He earned his PhD from Victoria University of Manchester, and his MA and BA from the University of New Zealand.

Leiter Report In Memorium: https://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2024/09/in-memoriam-max-cresswell-1939-2024.html

Daily Nous: https://dailynous.com/2024/09/24/max-cresswell-1939-2024/

Last night Keith Campbell passed away. Keith was a member of the department at Sydney for many years, was the Challis professor from 1991 to 2002, taking over from David Armstrong and serving until Huw Price took over the position. Keith was a a leading figure in metaphysics, defending, inter alia, materialism and trope theory. Alongside David Armstrong and John Mackie, he put Australian philosophy on the map. He made a huge contribution to a wide range of areas, and in many ways changed the intellectual landscape that was metaphysics at the time. This is a very sad day for Australian philosophy in general, and for Sydney in particular. We extend our sympathies to Keith’s family.

Circulated on aphil by Kristie Miller, Philosophy Department, University of Sydney, 13 October.

Australian Academy of Humanities; https://humanities.org.au/our-community/vale-emeritus-professor-keith-campbell-1938-2024/

In Memoriam, Leiter Report: https://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2024/10/in-memoriam-keith-campbell-1938-2024.html

Patrick Æ Hutchings (Oxon), was a longtime Editor-in-Chief (Australasia) of Sophia and a cherished member of both the journal’s philosophical community and the international philosophy community more broadly.

With a deep intellectual and academic history (with prior studies in the University of Wellington and Oxford University), Patrick was at the time of his passing an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11841-023-00991-y

Dear Colleagues

You may have seen the recent messages from Arthur O'Neill, Maurita Harney
and Kim Sterelny about the death of Marion Tapper.

In these messages, Marion has been recognised for: her contribution to
Australian philosophical thought focussed on texts of German and French
origin; an academic career that 'helped to establish phenomenology, and
continental philosophy more broadly, as an important, strong, and respected
area of philosophical inquiry in Australia'; playing a foundational role in
setting up the Melbourne School of Continental Philosophy (MSCP); and, as
an inspiring teacher and host of most memorable social occasions.

In addition to Marion's legacy in phenomenology and continental philosophy,
Marion contributed significantly to the AAP and the philosophy profession;
a contribution that was recently recognised at the AAP Conference and
Centenary exhibition of the Association. Marion was the AAP
Secretary (1998-2003) and Appointments Officer (1986-1987 and 1994-1998).
She co-authored seminal reports about women and the profession - 'Special
Problems Facing Women in Philosophy' (with San MacColl, Genevieve Lloyd and
Barbara Roxon) in 1982 and 'Women and Philosophy' (with Janna Thompson) in
1991.

Much loved sister of Linda, Jan (dec), Alan and Ross, she will be greatly
missed. A guest book has been set up where people may leave their
reflections here:
https://www.westannouncements.com.au/browse/obituaries/view/tapper-marion?fbclid=IwAR1MgbS542ljaL1_8RvMrQkFjDiIQAOJaLZzQ8kx5E1rRyKxB064xjQELHo

The AAP is saddened to hear of the recent death of Professor Jennifer A.
McMahon, University of Adelaide. Following a cancer diagnosis in 2019,
Jenny passed away peacefully on Monday 5th June 2023.

Jenny's family have asked that we circulate this news and the details of
her funeral, which will be held in the Florey Chapel at Centennial Park
Cemetery (760 Goodwood Road, Pasadena, Adelaide, SA) on Monday 19th June
2023, at 12.45pm, followed by her burial at 2pm.

In addition to her academic work, Jenny was Secretary of the AAP from 2014
to 2017 and was the curator of the inaugural issue of the *Australasian
Philosophical Review* in 2017 on the topic of Aesthetic Pleasure.

She will be sorely missed by her family, as well as by her friends and
academic colleagues both around Australia and the world.

Eulogy provided by Jill Howells

I met Janette in 2000 when I taught at a Primary School in Melbourne. I enrolled in a Professional Learning Course – Introduction to a Community of Inquiry, which she was running through the Victorian Association for Philosophy in Schools.

The level-one training I completed, Janette’s mentoring of me, and our friendship changed how I am an educator and influenced the schools I worked in. She ignited in me a passion to advocate for teaching critical and creative thinking through philosophical dialogue.

Janette reminded me of an intrepid explorer in education, always finding new ways to support and encourage adults and children to engage in Philosophical thinking. Her influence was immense across all sectors of education.

Some of Janette’s main achievements are:

1996

Victorian Association for Philosophy in Schools

Education and Innovations Officer

2000

Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority

Casual assessment work

2002

Federation of Asia Pacific Philosophy in Schools Association

Victorian Council Member and Secretary

2003

Victorian Certificate of Education Philosophy teacher and examiner – casual

2011

Completed her Doctorate of Education in 2011 on developmental assessment at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Melbourne University, where she studied under the supervision of Professor Patrick Griffin. Her thesis was titled “Milestones in Philosophical Development in the Middle Years”.

2012 -2018

Melbourne Institute of Technology

Academic Coordinator and lecturer School of Education and Arts Academic

2014

Deputy Chair - Philosophy for Children and Youth, Asia-Pacific Network

2015- 2018

Victorian Association of Philosophy in School Northern Hub Coordinator for the Ethical Capability - Department of Education & Training

2017

International Council of Philosophical Inquiry with Children Conference – Madrid

Presenter

2020 -2022

University of Melbourne - Department of Education, Teacher training

2021.

Conference Coordinator Asia Pacific Conference On Philosophy for Children

2022

Federation of Asia- Pacific Philosophy in Schools

Planning Committee

Presenter

Facilitated a Peace Train workshop with Farzaneh Shahrtash from Iran, working with Japanese students.

Publications

• 2014

“Is there any future for p4c in Australia”?

• 2011

“Milestones in Philosophical Development in the Middle Years”

• 2019

Contributor to “Philosophical Inquiry with Children, The Development of an Inquiring Society in Australia”.

• 2022

“Community of inquiry, competitions, and capabilities: a cautionary response - about how competition is a challenge to the Community of Inquiry.”

Innovations

• Created the first primary philosophy in public spaces event at the National Gallery of Victoria circa 2012.

• Expanded these events to include Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks, Melbourne Zoo, and Immigration Museum.

• Ethics trails at Melbourne Museum, Melbourne Zoo, Holocaust Museum,

• Led VCE revision forums for Year 12 students with leading academics in philosophy.

Janette was a key proponent of the community of inquiry pedagogies, which, unlike many popular educational traditions, acknowledges the importance of allowing children a greater voice in the learning process. Janette believed in interactional classrooms and the importance of listening to children, never wavering from the belief that they, too, are philosophical creatures with important things to say about the world around them.

She has been a leading figure in communities of inquiry in Victoria, interstate and internationally. Education was her passion.

In 2023 Janette continued her work with The Victorian Association of Philosophy in Schools and the Federation of Asia- Pacific Philosophy in Schools.

At one of our last meetings, she was positive towards the planning we had started and excited about what the year would bring.

She will be missed by many across the world.

Jill Howells

The AAP regrets to announce the death of Robert Nola at age 82 on Sunday 23 October 2022. One of the longest-serving members of the Philosophy Department of the University of Auckland, his influence on the Department, and, equally, outside of the Department through his many contacts in the Faculty of Science, was immense. Robert was a fierce advocate of standards in the teaching of Philosophy, as well as in science. Philosophically, he was perhaps best known for his defence of scientific realism and the importance of scientific method, his strong advocacy of the idea of analytic rigor and its importance to philosophical method, and his impatience with opposing ideas and trends, including much of continental philosophy (he liked to cite Frege as one of the few exceptions) and religion.

Robert was born in Auckland, New Zealand, 25 June 1940, his father a Croatian fisherman who emigrated to New Zealand. Robert was the first in his New Zealand family to go to University, and after completing an undergraduate science degree at what was then the University of New Zealand he obtained a Master of Science in Mathematics, and a Master of Arts in Philosophy, both from the University of Auckland. He completed his PhD at the Australian National University with a thesis on Theoretical change in the physical sciences: a study of theory reduction and theory replacement in science, under the supervision of John Passmore. Robert subsequently joined the Auckland Department as a lecturer in 1969 and retired an emeritus professor in 2016. Robert married Jan Crosthwaite, also a member of the Philosophy Department, in 1987.

During his long career Robert provided invaluable service to the university community, among his many other roles serving as chairman of the Board of the University of Auckland Press and as chair of the Sir Douglas Robb Lecture Committee. The latter role allowed him to play out his deep commitment to the intellectual importance of the sciences and their links to other fields of enquiry. He was instrumental in bringing a number of notable scientists and science commentators to deliver lectures at the university, including Richard Feynman, Stephen Jay Gould, and Richard Dawkins. His commitment to the intellectual importance of science also led him to introduce a successful interdisciplinary undergraduate programme in the history and philosophy of science and technology, which he convened for many years. 

Robert had research contacts with many philosophers and historians of science around the world, and was an academic visitor, in some cases multiple times, at institutions like the Centre for Philosophy of Science in Pittsburgh, the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, and the Department of Philosophy at Boğaziçi University, Instanbul (the home department of Gürol Irzik with whom he had a very productive research collaboration). Although Robert’s primary research focus and teaching were in philosophy of science, he had wide interests in philosophy more generally, particularly in metaphysics and epistemology, as well as in science education. He authored about 80 journal articles and book chapters, and was the author of Rescuing Reason: A Critique of Anti-Rationalist Views of Science and Knowledge (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, Springer 2003) and, with Gürol Irzik, of Philosophy, Science, Education and Culture (Dordrecht, Springer, 2005). He was also the co-author, with Howard Sankey, of Theories of Scientific Method (Acumen Press, 2007), and the co-editor, with David Braddon-Mitchell, of Naturalism and Analysis (MIT Press, 2009). 

Robert’s insistence on the unique and universal rationality of science and its methods sometimes put him at odds with academic trends. For example, he pushed hard for what he saw as a more nuanced account of what indigenous knowledge could offer science than the account found in certain alternative models of science and knowledge popular in the academy. His stance attracted considerable criticism, but for many others it was testimony to a deep intellectual courage and integrity. He continues to be admired by many for the unusual breadth of his academic interests, uncommon in contemporary universities, and for the sheer doggedness he displayed in the pursuit of the ideals of rationality, knowledge and truth. He will be greatly missed by his family, and his numerous friends, collaborators and students.

With agreement to post from Nic Southwood, Head, School of Philosophy, RSSS, CASS, ANU, circulated on aphil mailing list on 02.08.22:

It is with profound shock and sadness that I share with you the news that our beloved friend and colleague, Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Brennan passed away on Friday morning after a brief battle with leukaemia.

As many of you will know, Geoff was an outstanding scholar, who did ground-breaking work in economics and philosophy and at their intersection and played a major role in the development of “PPE” as a global interdisciplinary research program.

Originally trained as an economist, his early work was focused on issues of public finance. From 1976-1983 he was Professor in the Public Choice Center at Virginia Tech, where he worked extensively with Nobel Laureate James Buchanan, co-authoring two important books (The Power to Tax (CUP 1980) and The Reason of Rules (CUP 1985)), and a dozen or so articles. He returned to the ANU in 1984 where he began to engage and collaborate increasingly with philosophers. In his work on democratic theory with Loren Lomasky, Democracy and Decision (CUP 1993), voters were depicted as motivated by “expressive" concerns rather than rent-seeking ones; and in his book with Philip Pettit, The Economy of Esteem (OUP 2004), as seeking the good opinion of others rather than their purses. That strand of his work continued in Explaining Norms (OUP 2013), with Lina Eriksson, Bob Goodin and Nic Southwood, which formed the basis for the account of social norms in the World Bank's 2015 World Development Report. He continued to work right up until his death on two books dealing with important themes at the intersection of philosophy and economics. In addition to the books already mentioned, Geoff was also a prolific contributor to journals across the three PPE disciplines:  the American Economic Review, the Economic Journal, Econometrica, Oxford Economic Papers, Public Finance and Public Choice in economics; the British Journal of Political Science and Politics, Philosophy and Economics in politics; and Ethics, The Monist the Journal of Political Philosophy, the Journal of Applied Philosophy and Social Philosophy and Policy in philosophy.

Geoff received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. He was made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences in 1987 and received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of St Gallen in Switzerland in 2002. He received the 2013 Annual Distinguished Fellow Award from the Australian Economics Society and the 2014 annual Hayek medal awarded by the German Hayek Society. In 2016, he gave the Brian Barry Memorial Lecture (the LSE’s premier lecture in political science). He was President of the international Public Choice Society (the only non-American to hold that office) and an editor of several journals including Economics and Philosophy and the Economic Record.

Geoff described himself as “very much an ANU product.” He did both his undergraduate and graduate degrees at ANU, was a member of ANU academic staff for over forty years (from 1968 until 1978 and again from 1984 until his retirement in 2016), and served as RSSS Director from 1991-1996.

Geoff will be remembered by his numerous friends and colleagues throughout the world, not only for his outstanding scholarly contributions, but also as an inspiring and joyful collaborator and interlocutor, and as an extraordinarily warm, generous, outgoing, and kind person. We will all miss him greatly.

On behalf of the Australasian Philosophy community, I send my sincere condolences to his wife Margaret, children Susan, Michael, Robyn, and Philip, and his many grandchildren.

I will pass on details about funeral arrangements when I have them.