John McDowell

John McDowell's influence in philosophy is hard to overstate. His 1994 book Mind and World is one of the most cited works in contemporary philosophy, and his treatment of the 'Myth of the Given' has become a standard reference point. He is one of a handful of living philosophers whose work is taught in graduate seminars worldwide. His election to both the British Academy and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences places him in an elite group of transatlantic thinkers. The Mellon Award, which he won in 2010, is given to scholars whose work has had a transformative impact on their field; McDowell's selection reflects the esteem in which he is held by his peers. His legacy is not just in his books, but in the generations of students he has trained, many of whom are now leading philosophers themselves.