We’re committed to inspirational teaching and world-leading research, exploring the most fundamental questions of what exists, how to live, and what it is to be human. From ethics to metaphysics, from aesthetics to epistemology, we use clear thinking to approach the big ideas.
At the University of Southampton, philosophy teaching is informed by a wide range of research interests spanning diverse philosophical traditions. We emphasise small group and one-on-one tuition, which we provide from the first year of study, and we pride ourselves on the broad and flexible curriculum we offer.
In recent years we’ve introduced new modules on:
Islamic philosophy
classical Indian philosophy
the ethics of climate change
the philosophy of AI
ideology and propaganda
Our world-leading research saw us ranked 6th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. Our research focuses on areas including ethics, the history of philosophy, epistemology, aesthetics, political and legal philosophy, and language, logic and metaphysics.
In addition, our philosophers pursue research in philosophy of action, philosophy of AI, social philosophy, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, philosophy of science and philosophy of sex.
Our research
The quality of our department’s research is world leading. In 2021 the Research Excellence Framework ranked our department sixth best in the UK for research in philosophy, looking at research outputs, impact and environment. Our research was judged best in the UK for its impact. Major current projects include the ERC-supported Ethics of Doubt project and AHRC-supported projects on Margaret Cavendish’s Philosophy of Value, The Rights of Nature, and The Objects of Thought and Assertion.
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, logic 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.
Our teaching
Students in philosophy have consistently ranked our teaching as exceptional.
In the 2023 National Student Survey, 94.2% of students were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of our teaching, and 90.3% were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of feedback and assessment. This makes us the fifth best philosophy department in the UK for quality of teaching, and the best for quality of feedback and assessment, according to The Guardian University Guide 2024.
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:
Philosophy at Southampton has signed up to recommendations designed to improve equality and diversity in philosophy, and to promote the representation of women in philosophy at all levels.
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.
Our research and teaching explore profound and fundamental issues, from ancient questions of knowledge, happiness and values, to pressing contemporary challenges such as climate change and AI.
