Philosophy

'Philosophy is the attempt to get clear about very fundamental (though often deceptively simple) questions that don't naturally belong to any other science, and also to use the techniques of rigorous argument to arrive at defensible and reasonable positions on them. It's not easy, nor does it come naturally to everyone. But there in an undeniable thrill in joining a collaborative enterprise that has been going on for 2500 years, and making one's own contribution to clarifying and answering some of the deepest questions we can ask about the world and our place in it.'

Exeter has a proud tradition in philosophy, and we currently have a robust and healthy philosophical community. We have two members of academic staff currently engaged in research and teaching in the subject, and as philosophy is taught at Exeter as part of five undergraduate joint degrees, we have a large population of undergraduates actively studying philosophy too.

Philosophers at Exeter are also heavily involved in the research and teaching programs of the Faculty of Philosophy in the University, one of the world's great centers for philosophy.

Teaching and Research Staff

Dr Antony Eagle - Kneale Fellow and Tutor in Philosophy
Dr Laura M. Castelli - Stipendiary Lecturer in Philosophy

Research and Teaching strengths

The core areas of research expertise among tutors are Exeter are in metaphysics and the philosophy of science (Dr Eagle), and in ancient philosophy (Dr Castelli). We especially encourage students who are interested in these areas to apply to Exeter. Thanks to a generous benefaction, the college ordinarily has a philosopher in the Michael Cohen Fellowship in Philosophy; we expect to fill this post in the coming year.

Recent and Representative Publications

  • Antony Eagle (ed.), Philosophy of Probability: Contemporary Readings, Routledge (2011).
  • Antony Eagle, 'Deterministic Chance', Noûs, 45 (2011): 269-99.
  • Antony Eagle, 'Chance and Randomness', Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2010).
  • Antony Eagle, 'Location and Perdurance', Oxford Studies in Metaphysics, 5 (2010): 53–94.
  • Laura M. Castelli, Problems and Paradigms of Unity: Aristotle's Accounts of the One, International Aristotle Studies 6, Academia Verlag, Sankt Augustin (2010).
  • Laura M. Castelli, 'Metaphysics XII 7, 1072a27-b1: An Argument of Identity', British Journal for the History of Philosophy 19 (2011): 837-48.
  • Laura M. Castelli, 'Greek, Arab and Latin Commentators on Per Se Accidents of Being qua Being and the Place of Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book Iota', Documenti e Studi sulla traduzione filosofica medievale XXII (2011): 153-208.

Other Philosophers in the Exeter Community

Many distinguished philosophers have been associated with Exeter over the years, and some remain part of our wider community, as Emeritus and Honorary Fellows.

  • Mr Christopher Kirwan, Emeritus Fellow in Philosophy
  • Prof Paul Snowdon, Emeritus Fellow in Philosophy; now Grote Professor of Mind and Logic at UCL
  • Prof D M Armstrong, Honorary Fellow; Challis Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of Sydney

Last updated October 2011.