Jonah Diomede wins 2024 Elizabeth Anscombe Prize
Christ Church’s Jonah Diomede has been awarded the 2024 Elizabeth Anscombe Prize by the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Philosophy, received for having written the best undergraduate thesis at Finals. This is the second year running that a Christ Church student has won the Prize.
The celebrated thesis offers a defence of Ideal World Welfare Subjectivism – the view that what is good for us can be defined as whatever we would want were we both fully informed and fully rational. Jonah vindicates this position from challenges levelled against it by the philosophers Peter Railton, Connie Rosati and Eden Lin, and develops a novel notion of the ‘Properly Placed Advisor’ in advancing his arguments.
Jonah’s discussion of such complex subject-matter was described as ‘exceptional’, ‘displaying originality, outstanding analytical and argumentative skills, superior command of a wide range of facts and arguments relevant to the question, excellent organisation and presentation, lucid and precise expression.’ The impressive work was awarded a score of 84, which, the examiners noted, was not only the highest score in the year, but the highest ‘by a clear margin’.
It is such an encouragement – this recognition of my work, that was at times incredibly tough – to my ambitions to pursue a fruitful career in philosophy.
It is such an encouragement – this recognition of my work, that was at times incredibly tough – to my ambitions to pursue a fruitful career in philosophy.
Responding to news of his award, Jonah thanked two of his mentors: ‘I am, sincerely, both humbled and elated to receive this award from the Philosophy Faculty – it is one of the greatest honours of my life thus far. I would like, firstly, to thank two academics whose invaluable feedback and enthusiastic, caring teaching have ensured that their fingerprints are all over this work: Lewis Williams – my thesis supervisor – who went above what was expected with his timely, meticulous, and thorough criticism of my work, ensuring it achieved its potential; and Dr Alexander Geddes – one of my Philosophy tutors – whose superb teaching and many hours of discussion kindly devoted to me has refined my philosophical thinking exponentially over the last year or so.
‘It is such an encouragement – this recognition of my work, that was at times incredibly tough – to my ambitions to pursue a fruitful career in philosophy. I hope that during it, I am able to produce further works of value that, if I am lucky, will have impact far beyond a personal award.’
Jonah is now taking a year away from his studies to live in his father’s native Argentina. In the coming months he plans to make a number of applications for postgraduate courses, including Oxford’s renowned BPhil degree, and he hopes later to progress to a PhD in the US and embark on an academic career. The Christ Church community would like to wish him the best of luck in these endeavours and to congratulate him on his stellar undergraduate performance.
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