Gareth Matthews

Gareth B. Matthews (July 8, 1929 – April 17, 2011) was an American philosopher who specialized in ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, philosophy of childhood and philosophy for children. Matthews was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and grew up near Memphis, Tennessee. He earned his A.B. at Franklin College, an A.M. from Harvard University in 1952, and his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1961. He served as an Intelligence officer in the United States Navy during the Cold War. Matthews held teaching appointments at the University of Virginia (1960–61), the University of Minnesota (1961–69), and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1969–2005), where he was professor emeritus of Philosophy from 2005 until his death. He was a prolific author, with ten books to his name and over 140 journal articles and book chapters. His philosophical writings covered a wide range of topics including philosophy of language, logic, philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, psychology, philosophy of life and death, philosophy of childhood and education, metaphysics, and metaphilosophy. He was particularly known for his scholarship in ancient and medieval philosophy, with substantial work on Plato, Aristotle, and Augustine. Matthews was also a significant figure in the field of philosophy for children, with his works translated into over a dozen languages. He was a visiting professor at several institutions and received honorary doctorates from Franklin College and Hamburg University.