14 Facts About Alan Musgrave

Alan Edward Musgrave is an English-born New Zealand philosopher.

Alan Musgrave worked as Popper's research assistant, initially then as a lecturer.

Alan Musgrave was appointed to the chair of the philosophy department at the University of Otago in 1970, and was head of department from 1970 to 2005.

In 1992 Alan Musgrave published Common Sense, Science and Scepticism, an entry-level book on epistemology.

In 1999 Alan Musgrave published Essays on Realism and Rationalism, a collection of his scholarly papers.

In 2006 Musgrave was honoured with a Festschrift: Rationality and Reality: Conversations with Alan Musgrave, edited by Colin Cheyne and John Worrall.

In 2009, Alan Musgrave published Secular Sermons: Essays on Science and Philosophy, an entry-level book on science, religion and mathematics.

In 2012 the University of Otago awarded Alan Musgrave the Distinguished Research Medal, the university's highest research honour.

Alan Musgrave has attacked various forms of idealism; most recently he attacked idealism by extending the argument popularly known as David Stove's "Gem".

Metaphysically speaking, Alan Musgrave can be considered a nominalist; he argues for a position he specifically calls Pleonastic Platonism.

Alan Musgrave shared an office with fellow philosopher Imre Lakatos while he was in London.

Nevertheless, Professor Alan Musgrave is in a smaller group by stressing that the argument can only succeed if applied solely to novel predictions.

However, while admitting circularity within the argument, Alan Musgrave defends his stance as one making a conclusion about rational belief rather than truth.

Alan Musgrave openly admits the circularity of his view, however he is quick to point out that anti-realism has nothing better to offer, and indeed, that not all circles are so vicious.