Mark Maharaj
The philosopher Judith Jarvis Thompson died on November 20, 2020. She was 91.
Known for her work on a variety of issues in normative ethics, applied ethics, meta-ethics, and metaphysics, Thompson was professor emerita at MIT. She was the originator of the “Violinist” thought experiment used to demonstrate the concept of bodily autonomy as part of her defense of abortion rights, and also contributed the “Footbridge” and “Transplant” variations on Philippa Foot’s Trolley Problem thought experiments.
Thompson is an important figure in moral philosophy. Her works are used in many
philosophical conversations about abortion and body-autonomy rights. She should be
recognized for the important role she has played in developing these theories and contributing to philosophical debates that affect women’s rights.
More about Thompson’s life and work is available here.