Terence Penelhum
British-American philosopher and writer
About Terence Penelhum
Lived 1929 – 2020 (aged 90). Terence Penelhum was a philosopher, writer, religious studies scholar and university teacher.
Terence Michael Penelhum (26 April 1929 – 26 February 2020) was a British-Canadian philosopher and writer, known for his work on the philosophy of religion, personal identity and Hume.
Biography Penelhum was born in Bradford-on-Avon. His early education was received at Weymouth Grammar School, he then went on to study for an M.A. in Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh in 1950 and a B.Phil in philosophy from Oriel College, Oxford in 1952. He was appointed associate professor at University of Alberta (1953–1956) and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Calgary (1963–1978) where he was Professor of Religious Studies (1978–1988).
He received honorary doctorates from the universities of Calgary, Lakehead, Lethbridge and Waterloo. He received the Alberta Achievement Award (1987) and the Canada Council Molson Prize for the Humanities and Social Sciences (1988).
Penelhum's wife died in 2016;
Selected publications Survival and Disembodied Existence (1970) Problems of Religious Knowledge (1971) Religion and Rationality (1971) God and Skepticism (1983) Butler (1985) David Hume: an Introduction to his Philosophical System (1992) Reason and Religious Faith (1995) Christian Ethics and Human Nature (1999) Themes in Hume: the Self, the Will, Religion (2000)
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Terence Penelhum?
British-American philosopher and writer
When was Terence Penelhum born?
Terence Penelhum was born on 26 April 1929 in Bradford-on-Avon.
When did Terence Penelhum die?
Terence Penelhum died on 27 February 2020.
What was Terence Penelhum's occupation?
Terence Penelhum was a philosopher, writer, religious studies scholar and university teacher.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Terence Penelhum. https://biography.guide/terence-penelhum/
MLA: "Terence Penelhum." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/terence-penelhum/.
Chicago: "Terence Penelhum." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/terence-penelhum/.
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