Centre for Theoretical Philosophy
Centre for Theoretical Philosophy
Supporting excellence in research in theoretical philosophy.
The Centre for Theoretical Philosophy is a large and lively research group made up of academic staff and postgraduate students. We regularly host and welcome approaches from visiting researchers and postdoctoral researchers. Our research interests span topics across the traditional range of theoretical areas of analytic philosophy, and the intersections between them.
The Director of the Centre is Dr. Léa Salje.
Our research
We are a diverse group of researchers with interests in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language, metaphilosophy, and philosophy of mind and action – including both traditional topics in these areas and social topics in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of language. Examples of current reseach interests represented by the group include social ontology, practical rationality, self-knowledge, the relationship between thought and language, perception, explanation, attention, mental representation, metasemantics and singular reference. Our work often makes contact with the interests of neighbouring reseach centres in PRHS, such as CAMP, HPS and IDEA.
Among these areas of interest, we have clusters of researchers working on topics in metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and metaphilosophy/explanations, and we especially encourage approaches from prospective postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers interested in coming to work with us on these areas.
Our centre has a strong record of securing external funding for research. A selection of recent examples include Robbie Williams’ ERC projects ‘The Nature of Representation’ (2012-2017) and ‘Group Thinking: new foundations’ (2019-2024), Helen Steward’s AHRC ‘Persons as Animals’ (2015-2016) project, Robbie Williams and Jess Keiser’s H2020 ‘Language and Language Use’ (2019-2021) project, and Heather Logue’s BA project ‘World in Mind’ (2024-2025).
Research degrees
The Centre for Theoretical Philosophy is home to a large and vibrant community of postgraduate researchers under the supervision of academic staff working in the above areas. We welcome applications from prospective students for research degrees in these areas, under both our PhD programme and masters by research (MAR) programme.
Click to view a list of researchers currently offering postgraduate supervision.
Our people
View our members
Bahram Assadian, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow – philosophy of maths, philosophy of language, metaphysics
Darren Bradley, Professor of Metaphysics and Epistemology – self-location and self-doubt, theoretical virtues, the epistemology of metaphysics
Thomas Brouwer, Lecturer in Philosophy – social ontology, philosophy of logic, metasemantics, metaphysics
Joshua Habgood-Coote, Lecturer in Philosophy – practical knowledge, collective enquiry, work and the ethics of skill
Jessica Keiser – Associate Professor in Philosophy – philosophy of language and social/political philosophy
Heather Logue, Associate Professor in Philosophy – perception, feminist philosophy, philosophy of mind, metaphilosophy
Nick Makins, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow – practical rationality, metaethics, decision theory, philosophy of medicine
Léa Salje, Centre Director & Associate Professor in Mind and Language – self-knowledge, thought, epistemology of mind
Scott Shalkowski, Professor of Philosophy – modality, philosophy of religion, philosophical logic, scientific/religious rationality, the epistemology of modality
Ashley Shaw, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow – desire, rational agency, reasons
Helen Steward, Professor of Philosophy of Mind and Action – free will, abilities, causation, explanation
Robbie Williams, Professor of Theoretical Philosophy – mental representation, group intentionality, vagueness, social ontology, other minds
Alastair Wilson, Professor of Philosophy – metaphysics, philosophy of science, epistemology.
Seminars, talks and reading groups
The Centre for Theoretical Philosophy runs a weekly termtime work-in-progress seminar, giving staff and postgraduates the opportunity to test out new ideas in a supportive and informal setting. We host occasional visiting speakers, both from the UK and overseas, and the Centre supports members in putting on outward-facing research events with invited speakers. There are multiple reading groups for members throughout the year, and the Centre celebrates the closing of each academic year with an in-house intramural event.
Call for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action fellowship EoIs 2024
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships open for applications
Tuesday 9 April 2024
More on Call for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action fellowship EoIs 2024Window opens for applications to Non-Stipendiary Visiting Fellowships scheme
Window opens for applications to Non-Stipendiary Visiting Fellowships scheme
Wednesday 20 March 2024
More on Window opens for applications to Non-Stipendiary Visiting Fellowships schemeThe Centre for Love, Sex and Relationships website launches
Centre is dedicated to deepening our understanding of the nature and…
Wednesday 3 May 2023
More on The Centre for Love, Sex and Relationships website launchesGroup Thinking: New Foundations
A new project aims to transform an award of 1,997,997 euros to Robbie…
Tuesday 26 February 2019
More on Group Thinking: New Foundations