The Cambridge Philosophical Society (CPS) is a scientific society at the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1819. The name derives from the medieval use of the word philosophy to denote any research undertaken outside the fields of law, theology and medicine. The society was granted a royal charter by King William IV in 1832. The society is governed by an elected council of senior academics, which is chaired by the Society's President, according to a set of statutes.
The society has published several scientific journals, including Biological Reviews (established 1926) and Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society (formerly entitled Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, published since 1843). Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society was published between 1821–1928, but was then discontinued.
History
The society was founded in 1819 by John Stevens Henslow, Adam Sedgwick and Edward Clarke, is Cambridge's oldest scientific society.
Its prime purpose is to "keep alive the spirit of inquiry". For over 200 years, this spirit has been kept alive by its members and its activities. The society is independent of the University of Cambridge, although its offices are located within the University of Cambridge estate in central Cambridge. The Society has provided an open forum and played a key role in raising the profile of the sciences to the public.
The society is a registered charity: 213811 and has 11 Trustees. It is assisted by a number of full-time and part-time paid staff. Membership of the Society is currently over 2,000.
Fellow of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
Members of the Society are called Fellows. Fellows are usually academics or graduate students involved in mathematical or scientific research within the University. A Fellow must be recommended in writing by both a Fellow of the Society who has been a member for at least three years and a person of appropriate standing, who knows the candidate in a professional capacity. Approved candidates are elected at open meetings of the Society following proposal at Council Meetings.
The equivalent organisation for philosophers is the Cambridge Moral Sciences Club.
Journals
The society publishes one of the oldest mathematical journals in history; "Mathematical Proceedings" first published in 1843 and now published for Cambridge Philosophical Society by Cambridge University Press It has also published "Biological Reviews" since 1926.
Lectures
The society organizes lectures given by prominent scientists and mathematicians. The lectures are free and open to all who are interested to attend.
Nobel laureates
The Society has had numerous Fellows and Honorary Fellows who have been awarded the Nobel Prize. The first two recipients were Honorary Fellows Hendrik A Lorentz and Pieter Zeeman in 1902 for the Nobel Prize in Physics. The Society's first women winner was Honorary Fellow Marie Curie in 1903 for the Nobel Prize in Physics. Marie Curie was the first person to win or share two Nobel Prizes, being awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911.
In 1964, Dorothy Hodgkin became not only the first female Fellow of the Society to win a Nobel Prize (Chemistry) but also the first female member of the University of Cambridge to do so.
Currently 47 Nobel Prize winners are listed amongst its Fellows and Honorary Fellows of the Cambridge Philosophical Society.
Notable Fellows
Charles Babbage
Lawrence Bragg
Francis Crick
Paul Dirac
Stephen Hawking
John Stevens Henslow
Antony Hewish
Dorothy Hodgkin
Roger Penrose
Lord Rayleigh
Ernest Rutherford
Abdus Salam
Adam Sedgwick
J.J. Thomson
Alan Turing
Blue Plaque
To commemorate the Society’s bicentenary, a blue plaque to the Society was erected in March 2019 on 2 All Saints Passage (the house built by the Society in 1833 to house its meeting room, library and collections). The plaque was unveiled by Sir Martin Rees at opening of the Society’s exhibition at Cambridge University Library.
Society Archives
The society has built up an exceptional historical scientific record dating back to 1819. While not on public display, the archives can be viewed by prior arrangement with the Cambridge Philosophical Society.
The Society archives include the following: