Walter Bryce Gallie (5 October 1912 – 31 August 1998) was a Scottish social theorist, political theorist, and philosopher.

Career

Early life

Gallie was born in Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, near Glasgow, the son of an engineer. He worked as a classics teacher at Sedbergh School between the wars and later published his memoirs of this in the book An English School.

Military career

He served in the British Army from 1940 to 1945, leaving the service with the rank of major. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre. "[The time he spent in the army] evidently made an [sic] great impression upon him. Though a very out-going man, he never spoke of his wartime experiences though he repeatedly returned to the philosophical aspects of war in conversation."

Academic career

Gallie became an Assistant Lecturer in Philosophy at University College of Swansea in 1935, a lecturer in philosophy at University College of Swansea in 1938 and Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at University College of Swansea in 1948. He moved on to become Professor of Philosophy at University College of North Staffordshire in 1950, Professor of Logic and Metaphysics at Queen's University, Belfast in 1954 and Professor of Political Science at Cambridge University 1967. He was also a fellow of Peterhouse from 1967 to 1978. In Gallie's paper on 'Essentially contested concepts', he argued that it is impossible to conclusively define key appraisive concepts such as 'social justice,' 'democracy,' 'Christian life', 'art', 'moral goodness' and 'duty', although it is possible and rational to discuss one's justifications for holding one interpretation over competing ones. Clarification of such concepts involves not the examination of predictive relations (as is the case for most scientific concepts), but rather, consideration of how the concept has been used by different parties throughout its history.

Personal life and death

Gallie married Menna Patricia Humphreys in 1940. They had a son and a daughter. He died in Cardigan, Ceredigion, on 31 August 1998.

Works