Donald MacKinnon: ‘[T]here were, of course, the two chairs, Logic and Metaphysics and Moral Philosophy [at the University of Aberdeen in the 1940s and ’50s]. The staff were small, I had one assistant when I arrived, that was all, a very good man and Professor [Alexander Stewart] Ferguson had Dr [Wladyslaw] Bednarowski who is still around. The pattern was traditional. There were hints of what might come in the existence of an honours course in Moral Philosophy and English. This developed into Philosophy / English and was, of course, the first of the philosophy joint honours courses. I might say that Moral Philosophy / English provided Edinburgh with one of its present professors of philosophy in Ronald Hepburn, afterwards, of course, on the staff of the Moral Philosophy department here and then in Nottingham for a short time as professor and then to Edinburgh. […] I just mention this because I think the joint honours development which was something comparatively new but had been in a way pioneered by John Laird, represented something very important for the future. […] As I look back on the time I had in Aberdeen I wouldn’t want to say that, but Hepburn and [William Roy] Wilkie by their record were very good men.’
John Hargreaves: Interview with Professor Donald MacKinnon (1913–1994) Professor of Moral Philosophy, 19 December 1985 (GB 0231, Special Collection, University of Aberdeen)