My research has spanned several areas of philosophy. In metaphysics, I have written and am writing on the identity conditions for events, properties, and for physical objects that persist and change through time. In the theory of knowledge, I have written and am writing on the underdetermination of theories by data. In the philosophy of language, I have written and am writing on the nature of truth and its importance. In ethical theory, I have written on technical issues concerning how ethical judgements fit together (the ‘Frege-Geach problem’). In the philosophy of mind, I have written on the nature of colour. I am also interested in early modern philosophy, especially Locke and Kant.

Philosophy of mind, especially perception; ethical theory, especially expressivism; metaphysics, especially the nature of events and causation; theory of knowledge and philosophy of science, especially underdetermination, scepticism and the nature of belief; philosophy of language, especially the nature of truth; early modern philosophy, especially Locke and Kant.

Career Details

1977-8. Tutorial teaching at University of Oxford

1978-80. Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Essex

1980-2007. Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Bolton

Affiliation and Outside Duties

Member of Management Committee, British Society for the History of Philosophy (1999-2008), (Treasurer and Membership Secretary, 1999-2006)

Member, British Society for Ethical Theory

External Examiner, University of Birmingham, 2005-8.

I am currently working on the following papers:

'Expressivism and the Metaphysics of Consciousness'

which addresses the current debate about the possibility of philosophical 'zombies';

A related paper on panpsychism:

'Nagel, Panpsychism and Realism'

Two papers on truth:

'Truthmakers, Events and Supervenience'

'Deflationist Truth is Substantial'

and

'Transitivity and the Ontology of Causation'

which examines certain problems about causation and causal explanation.

I

I teach PPR.204 (Philosophy of the Mind), PPR.205 (Knowledge and Reality), PPR.305 (Logic and Language), and the Critical Thinking component of PHIL100. Teaching interests also include: logic, theory of knowledge, philosophy of science,ethical theory, and early modern philosophy (especially Locke and Kant). I am also the course convenor of the postgraduate module PPR.452: Doing Contemporary Philosophy.