Mary Margaret McCabe

@mmmccabe.bsky.social

4.2K followers 3.1K following 150 posts

Ancient philosopher on either construal. Also, Philosophy in Prison www.philosophyinprison.com

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Mary Margaret Anne McCabe, known as M. M. McCabe, is emerita professor of ancient philosophy at King's College London. She has written books on Plato and other ancient philosophers, including the pre-Socratics, Socrates and Aristotle. .. more

Philosophy 78%

History 8%

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Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Sep 18

Just published my account of the work of Philosophy in Prison philosophyinprison.com#philsky #prison #philosophy
journal.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/articles/12/...

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 15h

Donald Trump is not going to sue the BBC for $1 billion

The real story today is both Reform/Farage and the Conservatives/Badenoch talking today about radically changing the BBC

This is the real agenda

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Philosophy in Prison @philosophyinprison.bsky.social · 21h

Our evidence on 'Changing prison cultures through education' submitted to the House of Lords' Justice and Home Affairs Committee has been cited in their report 'Better Prisons: Less Crime'. We are working hard to see that inclusive education is at the forefront of solutions to the prison crisis.

What We Do | Philosophy in Prison Charity

Philosophy in Prison is a charity set up in 2018 to promote philosophical education in prisons and to explore the practical and philosophical principles that this involves.

www.philosophyinprison.com

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Will Jennings, Steve Peers , and 5 more Jonathan Portes, Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Bill Bowring, Michael H. Whitworth, Mary Margaret McCabe, Christina Pagel, Steven H. Seggie

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 8d

Matt Goodwin attributes a crime that he now knows appears to have been committed by people born in Britain in the early 1990s to "mass uncontrolled immigration"

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Tim Bale, Mary Corcoran , and 5 more Jonathan Portes, Tim Bale, Mary Corcoran, Tom Griffin, Michael H. Whitworth, Mark Priestley, Mary Margaret McCabe, Pauline Stafford

Anand Menon @anandmenon.bsky.social · 9d

Jesus Christ. We go mad about one bloke we wrongly released, yet hear next to nothing about this horror? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

More than 50 child asylum seekers still missing after disappearing from Kent care

Council data obtained by the Guardian shows 345 children have gone missing in recent years, many probably taken by traffickers

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Stephan Lewandowsky, Martin J. Attrill , and 6 more Katharine Hayhoe, Stephan Lewandowsky, Martin J. Attrill, Dawn J. Wright, Margot C. Finn, Brian Keegan, Mary Margaret McCabe, Fabian Holt, Kristina McElheran

Michael E. Mann @michaelemann.bsky.social · 10d

Let me excerpt the concluding paragraph:

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 11d

Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...

The value of public R&D

www.gov.uk

Reposted by Aurélien Mondon, Mary Margaret McCabe

Jolyon Maugham KC @goodlawproject.org · 27d

Woah! So Labour's position really is, 'telling us off for breaching human rights undermines the case for human rights'? Proper Trumpian stuff from Labour's answer to Suella Braverman.

Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Oct 3

It was somehow comforting in an absurd way and Sheila Hancock was brilliantly honest.

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Victoria Coren Mitchell @vcorenmitchell.bsky.social · Oct 3

Making topical comedy at bleak news times can be so tough but, in my book, it’s thank heavens for the return of Have I Got News For You, where Ian and Paul work magic to conjure laughs when there are none. Tonight with wonderful Miles Jupp and Sheila Hancock - and me trying to host. 9pm on BBC One.

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

The News Agents @newsagents.bsky.social · Sep 18

"Trump is using the full power of his office to punish people and organisations who criticise him.

There's a word for that - authoritarian."

If you think this is just about Jimmy Kimmel, you are missing the point.

@maitlis.bsky.social | @lewisgoodall.com
www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/if-y...

‘If you think this is about Kimmel being cancelled - you’re missing the point’ | The News Agents

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has been taken off-air “indefinitely” after making comments about Donald Trump’s response to the murder of Charlie Kirk. Is this about free speech? Cancel culture? Or is i...

www.thenewsagents.co.uk

Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Sep 17

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Guardian today, very pleased at the work of philosophyinprison.com getting some coverage.

Equalising effect of philosophy in prisons | Letters

Letter: Mary Margaret McCabe says philosophy can be done just by conversation, to include those with high levels of education and those who have little

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Philosophy in Prison @philosophyinprison.bsky.social · Sep 16

Our Chair @mmmccabe.bsky.social writes on @theguardian.com about the equalising power of philosophy in prisons when done in conversation www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Equalising effect of philosophy in prisons | Letters

Letter: Mary Margaret McCabe says philosophy can be done just by conversation, to include those with high levels of education and those who have little

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Deborah Shaw, Mary Margaret McCabe

Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · Sep 13

A Labour government that does not fight back against the far right, racism and extremism fundamentally misunderstands the nature of its electoral support.

Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Sep 13

But why is the Home Secretary posting on X, as the Guardian reports????

Reposted by Will Jennings, Albert Weale, Andrew Scott , and 5 more Will Jennings, Albert Weale, Andrew Scott, Colin Murray, Leigh Sparks, Michelle Everson, Mary Margaret McCabe, Federica Genovese

Ed Davey @eddavey.libdems.org.uk · Sep 13

Our democracy is too precious to be a plaything for foreign tech barons.

Elon Musk doesn’t care about the British people or our rights. He only cares about himself and his ego.

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Patrick A. Jansen, Andrew Scott , and 3 more Dorothy Bishop, Patrick A. Jansen, Andrew Scott, François Heisbourg, Feargal Cochrane, Mary Margaret McCabe

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · Sep 13

Esp given assassination of Kirk in US i find Musk's intervention here, calling for dissolution of parliament and a new govt, really scary .

Also UK govt bodies should get the fuck off X.

Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Aug 17

Have you asked about the six year rule, precluding long term prisoners from starting a degree until 6 years before release? Sheer waste of some who have ability that could change their lives if it were developed through education. @philosophyinprison.bsky.social has long argued for reform.

Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Aug 14

Surely the Today programme is better than this? The conflation of ‘xenophobia’ ( fear of strangers) with racism was made by @robertjenrickmp.bsky.social — giving his own game away. @krishk.com simply described what Jenrick (shockingly) said in the first place. BBC should apologise for apologising.

James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · Aug 13

'Honest Bob' Jenrick, a politician obviously & deliberately embracing xenophobia, does some weapons grade xenophobia & the BBC *apologises* for a Thought For The Day contributor calling it xenophobic. Licence fee payers need to know who makes these decisions & why. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

BBC apologises after Robert Jenrick accused of xenophobia

A contributor to Radio 4's Thought for the Day slot made the remark about the shadow justice secretary.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · Aug 13

FFS! In the midst of the dog-whistling howls, Thought For The Day today was a welcome relief. Calling out Jenrick for his brazen xenophobia and urging people to hold on to their empathy and not to let fear become cruelty.
It’s intolerable that the BBC apologised for that rare moment of decency.

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Steve Peers, David J. Smith , and 3 more Jonathan Portes, Steve Peers, David J. Smith, John Foot, Gareth Austin, Mary Margaret McCabe

James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · Aug 13

BBC apologises after Robert Jenrick accused of xenophobia

A contributor to Radio 4's Thought for the Day slot made the remark about the shadow justice secretary.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Jonathan Wolff, Judith N. Shklar, Nigel Warburton , and 1 more Jonathan Wolff, Judith N. Shklar, Nigel Warburton, Mary Margaret McCabe

Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Jul 28

📌

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

The Guardian @theguardian.com · May 22

Court ruling on legal definition of a woman ‘misinterpreted’, Lady Hale says

Speaking at book festival in east Sussex, former supreme court president says reaction to judgment ‘very binary’ The supreme court’s ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex “has been misinterpreted”, Lady Hale has said. Speaking at the Charleston literary festival in east Sussex, the first female president of the supreme court said the last thing she wants now that she has retired “is to undermine the court and its authority by being critical of its decisions”. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

The Conversation UK @uk.theconversation.com · May 28

‘With philosophy, people care about what I think. Nobody listens when you’ve been in prison. Everything you think is wrong, rubbish, you’re nothing.’

What I’ve learned from teaching philosophy in prisons

‘With philosophy, people care about what I think. Nobody listens when you’ve been in prison. Everything you think is wrong, rubbish, you’re nothing.’

tcnv.link

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · Jul 18

“President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly,”

Jarndyce and Jarndyce,with luck. Bring it on!

edition.cnn.com/2025/07/17/p...

Wall Street Journal: Birthday letter to Epstein bore Trump’s signature, drawing of naked woman | CNN Politics

A collection of letters gifted to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003 included a note bearing Donald Trump’s name and an outline of a naked woman, according to a Wall Street Journal report p...

edition.cnn.com

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Armando Iannucci @aiannucci.bsky.social · Jul 14

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

‘Humanitarian city’ would be concentration camp for Palestinians, says former Israeli PM

Ehud Olmert says forcing people into camp would be ethnic cleansing, and anger at Israel is not all down to antisemitism

www.theguardian.com

Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Jul 8

Thank you very much for the support! Hugely appreciated. And it is indeed happening, in many UK prisons. @philosophyinprison.bsky.social

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Barry C Smith @barrycsmith.bsky.social · Jun 16

Department of Philosophy at Warwick celebrates its 60th anniversary in Senate House @uolpress.bsky.social with speeches on why #philosophymatters by Qassim Cassam, Heather Widdows, @guylongworth.bsky.social and @mmmccabe.bsky.social

Mary Margaret McCabe @mmmccabe.bsky.social · Jun 10

Glorious peony Sarah Bernhardt just in full and complicated bloom. Brief moment of joy in a world gone mad.

Reposted by Mary Margaret McCabe

Richard Bates @discript.com · Jun 8

Listening to Private Passions where Professor @hilarycottam.bsky.social is talking about many social issues, including design of prisons, adult loneliness, finding meaning and purpose in life, and caring for elderly. Fascinating, and available online:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

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