As well as teaching and disseminating the results of their research, the Centre’s philosophers have edited, contributed to and written books considering issues such as: how we should approach animal use and exploitation, violence both ‘done to’ and ‘done by’ women, climate change and individual responsibility, and the exploration of delusions/unusual beliefs that can significantly disrupt people's lives. They also provide comment and evidence for parliamentary and other enquiries, and support several groups and organisations.
We also run an annual conference, focusing on a single topic - this year’s was ‘A Post-Liberal World?’ - as well as a programme of lectures, talks and ‘Tea Seminars’ throughout the year featuring speakers from different institutions and organisations. Next year’s conference theme is ‘Bodies and Embodiment’ which will explore issues related to the ethics and governance of the body, for example - commodification, objectification, sexualisation, and marginalised and vulnerable bodies.
Current and recent projects:
PERFECT: Pragmatic and epistemic role of factually erroneous cognitions and thoughts. A five-year project funded by the European Research Council, PERFECT aims to establish whether cognitions that are inaccurate in some important respect can ever be good for us from a pragmatic and an epistemic point of view.
A duty to be beautiful? The work of Professor Heather Widdows on body image and the perception of the self is currently formed of two main strands: Perfect Me, her latest book, and the Beauty Demands Project and Network.