Philosophical Interests

Philosophy Faculty research

NCH has a wide range of research expertise in philosophy. Indeed, with both research active permanent faculty members, and an extraordinary visiting professoriate, we have research strengths in all of the main areas of the subject: practical philosophy and value theory; the history of philosophy; and theoretical philosophy.

Practical Philosophy and Value Theory

In practical philosophy and value theory, NCH has expertise in the following areas:

• Aesthetics (Dr Brian Ball, Dr Naomi Goulder, Professor AC Grayling, Professor Christopher Peacocke)
• Applied Ethics (Professor Simon Blackburn, Dr David Mitchell, Professor Peter Singer)
• Ethics (Professor Simon Blackburn, Dr Naomi Goulder, Dr David Mitchell, Dr Christoph Schuringa, Professor Peter Singer)
• Meta-Ethics (Professor Simon Blackburn, Dr Naomi Goulder)
• Political Philosophy (Dr David Mitchell, Dr Ioannis Votsis)

History of Philosophy

At NCH, we conduct research in the following areas of the history of philosophy:

• Ancient Philosophy (Dr David Mitchell, Dr Christoph Schuringa)
• Early Modern (Professor Simon Blackburn, Professor AC Grayling, Dr Christoph Schuringa)
• German Philosophy (Professor Simon Blackburn, Professor AC Grayling, Dr Christoph Schuringa)
• 20th Century Philosophy (Dr Brian Ball, Professor AC Grayling, Professor Stephen Neale, Dr Christoph Schuringa)

Theoretical Philosophy

NCH faculty actively participate in contemporary debates in the following areas of theoretical philosophy:

• Epistemology (Dr Brian Ball, Professor Christopher Peacocke, Dr Ioannis Votsis)
• Metaphysics (Dr Brain Ball, Professor Christopher Peacocke, Dr Ioannis Votsis)
• Mind, Cognition, and Action (Dr Brian Ball, Professor Simon Blackburn, Professor Daniel Dennett, Dr Naomi Goulder, Professor Nicholas Humphrey, Professor Stephen Neale, Professor Steven Pinker, Dr Christoph Schuringa, Dr Ioannis Votsis)
• Logic and Language (Dr Brian Ball, Professor Simon Blackburn, Professor AC Grayling, Professor Stephen Neale, Dr Ioannis Votsis)
• Philosophy of Science (Professor Daniel Dennett Dennett, Dr Ioannis Votsis)

Interdisciplinary Research

Our faculty is also engaged in a number of interdisciplinary research groups; and we host academic events in philosophy, including regular meetings of the Philosophy Research Seminar.

NCH is the host institution for the interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed International Social Science Journal and members of the Philosophy faculty participate in the interdisciplinary Social Theory & Public Policy Research Group, The Ottoline Club and Ottoline Online.

Philosophy Research Seminar

The Philosophy Research Seminar (PRS) is a fortnightly seminar at NCH featuring internal and external speakers in all areas of philosophy, with meetings occasionally organised in conjunction with the Philosophy Society.

Schedule for Hilary term

All meetings will take place at 19 Bedford Square on Wednesdays from 5:30pm – 7:30pm. For further details please contact the convener Dr Brian Ball (brian.ball@nchlondon.ac.uk).

• Week 2 (Jan 17): Father Stephen Wang (Newman House)

• Week 4 (Jan 31): Eric Heinze (QMUL)

• Week 6 (Feb 14): Michael Hannon (IP and NCH)

• Week 8 (Feb 28): Ada Bronowski (NCH)

• Week 10 (Mar 14): Mark Pinder (Bristol)

Previous speakers at the Philosophy Research Seminar include: Brian Ball, John Cottingham, Mark Fabian, Cressida Gaukroger, Naomi Goulder, Louise Hanson, Phyllis Illari, Noa Latham, Arturs Logins, Derek Matravers, David Mitchell, Seiriol Morgan, Bryan Roberts, Christoph Schuringa, Stefan Sienkiewicz, Peter Singer, Ioannis Votsis, and Jose Zalabardo.