Department of Philosophy

Our researchers benefit from a supportive and inclusive environment that encourages open collaboration with colleagues from different disciplines, both within the University and at other institutions.

Our research largely falls within 7 themes.

Analytic aesthetics and the history of aesthetics

This includes the philosophy of music, the philosophy of fiction, the ontology of art, and the history of aesthetics with particular reference to Cavendish, Hume, Kant, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche and Collingwood.

Ethics

Examples of current research include:

• the nature of reasons
• value and normativity
• the doing/allowing distinction
• the non-identity problem
• philosophical issues associated with sex and pregnancy
• animal and environmental ethics

Epistemology

We explore fundamental questions in epistemology concerning the nature of knowledge, the challenge of scepticism, and the scope of self-knowledge. We have a particular interest in:

• epistemic normativity
• epistemic value
• the aims and norms of belief and assertion
• doxastic voluntarism and responsibility

History of philosophy

We specialise in the work of Cavendish, Kant, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger. We also have research interests in ancient Greek, classical Indian, classical Chinese, and modern western philosophy.

Language, mind, and metaphysics

Some examples of our wide range of research interests in this area include: 

• linguistic normativity
• the logic and semantics of conditionals
• meta-ontology
• the metaphysics of art
• fictional characters, empty names and nonexistence
• the metaphysics of persons and pregnancy

Political and legal philosophy

This area of research spans both analytic and continental traditions of philosophy. Our researchers in this theme have strong expertise in Western political thought, with particular emphasis on:

• ancient Greek political philosophy
• European political philosophy from the 16th to the 21st century
• American political thought

Wittgenstein and early analytic philosophy

We have research strengths in all areas of Wittgenstein's thought, and in other early analytic philosophers, including Frege, Langer, McDonald, Russell, and Wrinch.

The Ethics of Doubt

Genia Schönbaumsfeld’s £2m UKRI-funded ERC Advanced Grant project, ‘The Ethics of Doubt – Kierkegaard, Scepticism and Conspiracy Theory’ started in October 2023 and runs for 5 years. 

The project explores new ways to tackle knowledge scepticism in academia and society. It focuses on the link between knowledge and intellectual virtues and especially intellectual courage. It asks how these virtues can better equip people to handle the challenges of the ‘Information Age’. These include the proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, and ‘fake news’; the difficulty of avoiding online ‘echo chambers’ and conspiracy theories; as well as the problems posed by AI and deep fakes. 

To support this goal, we have launched two online modules with the University of California, Irvine. These modules introduce students to these issues and help them build the critical skills needed to navigate the digital world safely.

Margaret Cavendish

Daniel Whiting has collaborated with curatorial and exhibition staff at Colchester Museums on a new exhibition called 'Margaret Cavendish: Trailblazer'. The exhibition features special illustrations by Catalina Carvajal and introduces visitors to Cavendish’s life and work. Born in Colchester in 1623, Cavendish was a philosopher, scientist, and author. 

Daniel also helped create free educational materials about Cavendish for teachers and students. They are available to download for free from the museum's website. 

This partnership with the heritage sector is in association with Daniel's Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project, Sympathy in Harmony: Margaret Cavendish's Philosophy of Value (grant no. AH/Y003160/1).

Philosophy of Pregnancy, Birth and Early Motherhood/Parenthood

Southampton's research in the Philosophy of Pregnancy, Birth and Early Motherhood/Parenthood led to two 4* REF impact case studies. 

Professor Fiona Woollard’s research, Combating Guilt Around Infant Feeding, shows how philosophy can combat negative feelings about infant feeding decisions that can have serious effects on the wellbeing of vulnerable new mothers and their infants. 

The research helped Alberta Health Services (the largest provincial health authority in Canada) to develop an inclusive infant feeding policy and training. She was awarded a grant from the ESRC IAA to work with the NCT and the Breastfeeding Network to produce online resources for parents, health professionals and peer supporters.

Professor Woollard is now extending her impact in two ways. First, by working with a local maternity mentoring and psychologists at the University of Keele to improve support for parents returning to work after maternity leave. Second, by working with colleagues at the University of Sheffield and Trinity College Dublin to develop a toolbox for inclusive language in perinatal care.

Professor Elselijn Kingma (now at KCL) has argued that women have the right to make many choices outside guidelines; that healthcare professionals ought to proactively support such choices once made; and that understanding the nature of pregnancy can help us to appreciate these and other moral issues surrounding pregnancy and birth. Kingma’s research has critically shaped the Dutch legal, medical, activist and policy framework surrounding maternity care.

The Future of Work

Charlotte Unruh regularly speaks and writes about the future of work in an age of automation and AI. She is a research fellow for the Institute for the Future of Work and has worked with engineers and social scientists on embedding worker preferences in shift scheduling algorithms. 

Another strand of her work focuses on future generations. She has engaged with charities and organisations on questions of intergenerational justice.

Schools & Colleges Liaison

Our students and staff are regularly involved with schools in the local area and across the UK. We offer various in-person and online activities and events, and a ‘Philosophy for Schools’ video collection.

Sixth Form Conferences

We hold Sixth Form Philosophy Conferences several times a year. These are typically free to attend. They include lectures on accessible philosophical topics delivered in an engaging way by our academic staff, with plenty of time for discussion and debate.

You will find information about upcoming conferences on our Events page.

School visits

Lecturers in Philosophy at Southampton can visit schools and colleges, remotely or in person, to give talks on their research. Topics can be related to the Philosophy and Religious Studies A-level curricula, or they can focus on studying the subject at university.

The Southampton 'Philosophy for Schools' Video Collection

We created a series of videos to help students taking A-Level Philosophy and the philosophy and ethics components of A-Level Religious Studies. Each video is presented by one of our lecturers, and accompanied by study questions to help students work their way through the key ideas discussed. 

The Collection includes sections on Epistemology, Moral Philosophy, and the Metaphysics of Mind and of God. Additionally, our 'Philosophy for Scientists' video explores philosophical issues of particular interest to science students, whilst 'Global Philosophy' looks at issues that reach beyond the familiar boundaries of the Western philosophical tradition.

Public engagement

We organise a series of events each year aimed at bringing Philosophy to the wider public.

We are proud to be a local partner of the Royal Institute of Philosophy. The Institute supports:

• our annual Philosophy, Politics and Economics Lecture
• our annual Ethical Challenges Lecture in association with the Southampton Ethics Centre
• the Southampton Ethics Centre seminar series

The seminar series sees visiting researchers share their ideas and arguments in an accessible and engaging fashion.

We have a long-running annual public talk series at Southampton City Art Gallery and contribute to University events such as the Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival.

View upcoming Humanities public events.

Lifelong Learning

We are deeply committed to supporting Lifelong Learning.

Our evening classes and study days are designed for people who want to learn about this fascinating subject, but do not have the time to study for a degree.

Evening Classes

Our evening courses run for 12 weeks during university term time. They are designed to develop your knowledge and interest in a particular theme and are accessible and open to all regardless of prior level of study - all you need is enthusiasm! The courses are taught by experts in their field, with passion and enthusiasm for their chosen subject.

Visit the Lifelong Learning pages for further information.

Study Days

We hold regular, one-day cultural events consisting of a series of short talks, led by experts from within our department. The events focus on a particular theme but include a broad range of topics and issues for debate. They consist of a series of short talks led by experts from the relevant department. We keep the groups small and informal to encourage discussions and interaction. You are also welcome to attend just to listen to the latest ideas.

Our academic staff bring a broad range of research interests to their teaching. Our curriculum includes Heidegger, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard and other traditional focal points. In recent years we’ve also taught modules addressing topics such as: 


• Islamic philosophy
• classical Indian philosophy
• ideology and propaganda
• the ethics of climate change
• the philosophy of artificial intelligence

More information for students can be found on the philosophy subject page.

Our commitment to this British Philosophical Society (BPA) and Society for Women in Philosophy UK (SWIP)’s good practice scheme is also reflected in our teaching. We ensure that all our reading lists feature contributions from women and philosophers of diverse backgrounds. 

It’s also demonstrated in our research activities, where, for example, we aim to promote inclusivity by following the BPA/SWIP seminar chairing policy recommendations.