We are deeply saddened to share the news that Professor David Miller, Reader in Philosophy has passed away.

David taught in the department from 1969 until his retirement in 2007. He was best known for work in logic and methodology, including fervent support and development of some of Popper’s work on scientific method.

According to Karl Popper “If the many, the specialists, gain the day, it will be the end of science as we know it - of great science.” In one sense, the philosopher and logician David Miller was a specialist, devoting much of his enormous mental energy to mathematical logic—in particular, to its applications to scientific methodology, through sharpening and developing what he took to be Popper’s most significant insights in that area. However, pursuing that specific project demands a generalist’s ability to take a synoptic view of the sciences. David was no narrow specialist.

Always meticulous, and always rigorously critical, David had broad interests within and without philosophy, together with an admirable willingness to direct his disciplined attention in a variety of directions. To pick two examples of his breadth of interests, he co-authored a wonderful book on croquet (Croquet and How to Play It, with Rupert Thorp) and, at the behest of some his students, he wrote a wry but respectful review of Alan Badiou’s Being and Event, focusing on Badiou’s circuitous reflections on set theory. David was very funny, and a keen appreciator of others’ humour, with a special fondness for the works of P. G. Wodehouse.

David was educated in Suffolk, at Woodbridge School, and then Peterhouse, Cambridge. In 1964, he began to study Logic and Scientific Method at the London School of Economics, where he became one of Karl Popper’s research assistants. David joined the Department of Philosophy at the University of Warwick in 1969, to help develop its Mathematics and Philosophy programme, remaining in the Department until his retirement in 2007.

The Mathematics and Philosophy degree had a small cohort—it takes a student with rare ability to endure that programme, but, as a colleague recalls, “those that did found themselves taught by a scholar with an equally rare passion for inducting young minds into some of the more challenging areas of philosophy.” A demanding teacher of logic, David was also hugely supportive of anyone willing to think carefully with him, and the many generations of students he taught at the University of Warwick remember him with great fondness. Unless he had private matters to deal with, he would always work with his office door open. He was available to all-comers who sought his advice. Some others followed his example, giving rise to cross-corridor chats and collegial repartee which helped to make the Department especially welcoming to students and new members of staff.

David was a key linchpin in the global network of scholars engaging with and seeking to develop Popper’s work on the philosophy of science and political philosophy. As such, he did numerous services to the wider profession, including serving as Honorary Treasurer of the British Society for the Philosophy of Science and Secretary of the British Logic Colloquium.

In a series of papers in the 1970s, David explored problems with Popper's formal definition of verisimilitude, the evaluation of some false claims as being closer to being true than other false claims. The notion of verisimilitude was central to Popper’s account of scientific inquiry as leading to theories which are strictly speaking false but as nonetheless making progress by improving their proximity to truth. However, prior to David’s work, the difficulties with Popper’s account of verisimilitude had been largely ignored. Since then, a substantial literature has developed, including David’s own important contributions, aiming to improve on Popper’s attempts to account for this centrally important notion.

David’s most important book, Critical Rationalism: A Restatement and Defence, published in 1994, seeks to develop and secure an approach to scientific knowledge growing out of Popper’s earlier work, according to which, as David put it in a later summary, in science, “there exist no grounds whatever, conclusive or inconclusive, for anything that we know.” Rejecting “the ruinous doctrine that all rational opinion is justified opinion…the critical rationalist does not doubt that there is truth to be had, but thinks that it may be had only by making a lucky guess.”

Academic and professional services colleagues recall with fondness how David’s meticulousness extended to his dress—well-polished shoes and bow tie—and his approach to academic administration. This included his unwavering and oft repeated insistence that first year students on the Mathematics and Philosophy degree should all be obliged to fill in a transfer of degree form from Mathematics and Philosophy (year 1) to Mathematics and Philosophy (year 2) at the end of year 1. David’s sense of humour also made a showing here: as examinations secretary, he set assessed work submission deadlines at 3am, which students regularly and naturally misunderstood, typically handing in their work almost twelve hours after the deadline.

His witty interjections were infamous. A visiting proponent of Wittgenstein’s philosophy froze during a Departmental colloquium presentation, unable to come up with a precise example to illustrate their claims. David immediately stumped up with, “Game? Or maybe rope?”. At another colloquium presentation, a speaker made the claim that everyone is afraid of death. David interrupted, “I’m not.” A slightly surreal moment ensued. The speaker made a pistol shape with his hand, pointed it at David, and shouted "BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!" David calmly responded: "That's not the same thing." And to the then Head of Mathematics at the University of Warwick, he objected that mathematicians cared only about students who were bashing their heads against the ceiling, “whereas we philosophers have trouble even getting up off the floor”.

David died on 20 November 2024, aged 82. He is survived by his sons, Alex and James, and his grandchildren, Oscar and Tommy.

If you would like to send any memories of David or thoughts to the family, please do so via inmemorydavidmiller@gmail.com.

The British Academy is inviting proposals from early career researchers in the humanities and social sciences wishing to pursue an independent research project, towards the completion of a significant piece of publishable research.

Applicants must be researchers from the humanities and social sciences and be based at an eligible university or research organisation for the duration of the Fellowship.

Applicants must be of Early Career Status, meaning they must apply within three years from the date of their successful viva voce examination. For this round of competition, applicants are expected to have completed their viva voce between 1 April 2022 and 1 April 2025.

For more information and how to apply click hereLink opens in a new window

Warwick Philosophy has been ranked 5th in the UK by The Complete University Guide 2024.

The league table is made up of several main indicators including entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, continuation and graduate prospect outcomes.

We are thrilled with the result, which reflects consistent high rankings in the National Student Survey (NSS) and strong graduate prospects.

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Warwick’s Professor Heather Widdows (Philosophy) spoke to Dazed Digital about how our sense of self has changed in recent years

Warwick Philosophy has been ranked 4th in the UK by The Times Good University Guide 2024.

The league table is made up of eight indicators including student satisfaction with teaching quality and their wider student experience, research quality, graduate prospects, entrance qualifications held by new students, degree results achieved, student/staff ratios, and degree completion rates.

We are delighted with the result, which reflects consistent high rankings in the National Student Survey (NSS) and strong graduate prospects.

Find out more here.