Mary Shepherd

Lady Mary Shepherd, ( Primrose; 31 December 1777 – 7 January 1847) was a Scottish philosopher who published two philosophical books, one in 1824 and one in 1827. According to Robert Blakey, in her entry in his History of the Philosophy of the Mind, she exercised considerable influence over the Edinburgh philosophy of her day.

Life There is an entry in the Encyclopedia of Women that states that not much is known about the thinker that is Lady Mary Shepherd. This highlights the problem at hand which is needing to better understand her life and its contributions, and how those contributions have helped shape the world today of philosophy and for women in science. Lady Mary Primrose was the second of five daughters of Neil Primrose, 3rd Earl of Rosebery. She was born along the Firth of Forth close to Edinburgh at Barnbougle Castle on the family estate near Dalmeny, Midlothian.

Mary (née Primrose) Shepherd was born in her family's Barnbougle Castle which sat in the parish of Dalmeny. Mary's experience was typical of that of a child from a wealthy and successful aristocratic Scottish family. The Primrose family split their time between two different homes or estates. One of these was in the parish of Dalmeny, another estate was located in London. Mary Shepherd had a great situation for a female who wanted to be able to focus on her own thoughts, and truly analyze the world around her as well as within her own mind. This is true because she lived with her family in Dalmeny until the age of 30. As previously stated, because she grew up in a family of wealth and money was never an issue, which also during that time period, was rarely a problem for aristocratic Scottish families. While her brothers went to school, she instead was taught at home by a tutor. The Primrose family had large economic and social standing, this status allowed Mary to study under a private tutor named Mr. Pillans. Her tutor, Mr. Pillans, actually offered a much more difficult education, that he was also able to personalize and create a structure just for Shepherd. This difference in intensity helped to pique her interest in philosophy even more. In her daughters memoir, it states how thankful Mary was for Mr. Pillans and how much of an influence he had on her during the early part of her childhood.

The help and education she received from Mr. Pillans persuaded her to develop her interest in Philosophy. Mr. Pillans taught subjects such as history, mathematics, geography, and Latin. She was never forced to follow a subject that she did not enjoy, which allowed her to develop a passion on her own. Enquiry respecting the Relation of Cause and Effect: in which the Theories of Professors Brown, and Mr. Hume, are Examined; with a Statement of Such Observations as are Calculated to Shew the Inconsistency of these Theories; and from which a New Theory is Deduced, More Consonant to Facts and Experience. Also a New Theory of the Earth, Deduced from Geological Observations (Edinburgh: James Ballantyne, 1819)