Prolific British philosopher, writer and architecture critic Roger Scruton has died at the age of 75 after a six-month battle with cancer. Officially announced from Scruton's personal website, it has confirmed that Roger Scruton has passed away on Sunday, 12th January. Scruton had been fighting cancer for the last 6 months, the website confirmed. 

"It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Sir Roger Scruton, FBA, FRSL. Beloved husband of Sophie, adored father to Sam and Lucy and treasured brother of Elizabeth and Andrea, he died peacefully on Sunday 12th January," stated the website. 

"He was born on 27th February 1944 and had been fighting cancer for the last 6 months. His family are hugely proud of him and of all his achievements," it added.

Scruton was born on 27th February 1944 and he was a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington and Professor at the University of Buckingham, for which he taught an MA and a PhD program in London.

He was co-chair of Building Better, Building Beautiful, an independent body that advises government on how to promote and increase the use of high-quality design for new build homes and neighbourhoods.

Scruton have published more than 50 books nearly all of which are in print and many of which have been translated, including The Aesthetics of Architecture (1979), The Classical Vernacular: architectural principles in an age of nihilism (1995), Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition (2018).

Roger Scruton studied philosophy at Cambridge University and graduated in 1965. The he completed his Master's Degree at the same university in 1967. He has held visiting positions at Princeton, Stanford, Louvain, Guelph (Ontario), Witwatersrand (S. Africa), Waterloo (Ontario), Oslo, Bordeaux, Cambridge and elsewhere, and have been invited to give lectures in many universities in Europe, America, Canada and Australia.

Many people have sent their tributes to Scruton. "RIP Sir Roger Scruton. We have lost the greatest modern conservative thinker - who not only had the guts to say what he thought but said it beautifully," said UK prime minister Boris Johnson over his Twitter. 

"Sorry to hear of the death of Sir Roger Scruton at 75, six months after he was diagnosed with cancer. Obviously we were not on the same page when it came to architecture or much else but in debate he was courteous and stimulating, and I'll miss the presence of his intellect," said Hugh Pearman on Twitter. 

Top image: Roger Scruton, image courtesy of Roger Scruton

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