Bernard Williams

This article is about Sir Bernard Williams, philosopher. For the athlete see Bernard Williams (athlete).

Sir Bernard Williams (1929-2003) was a British moral philosopher

He was born in Westcliff, Essex. He was educated at Chigwell School and read Greats at Balliol College, Oxford. At the age of 22 Williams was elected as a fellow of All Souls. He married Shirley Williams, although their marriage broke up in 1974 and Williams remarried. Williams was also provost of King's College, Cambridge from 1979-1987, and later moved to the University of California, Berkeley.

Williams's important works include: "Shame and Necessity" (University of California Press, 1993). "Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy" (Harvard UP, 1985). "Moral Luck" (Cambridge UP, 1981). "Utilitarianism: For and Against" with J.J.C. Smart (Cambridge UP, 1973).