Philosophy

Find out about Philosophy at Sussex, based within the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, and search for people who work there.

About Philosophy

We cover both Anglo-American ‘analytic’ and Post-Kantian ‘continental’ philosophical traditions, and allow students at all levels to specialise in one tradition or to draw on both. We also cover both the history of philosophy and issues in contemporary philosophy.

We want to make philosophy accessible, and to make studying it enjoyable.

Our philosophy undergraduates, postgraduates and tutors form a friendly and lively intellectual community. Undergraduate students are encouraged to attend the popular Philosophy Society research seminars, where cutting-edge research is defended by invited speakers to a friendly but critical audience. We also run an annual one-day conference for second and third years, at which they present their own research to their peers, and an annual one-day conference for sixth-formers and sixth-form Philosophy teachers.

We have strong intellectual links with those working elsewhere in the University, including cognitive science, intellectual history, literature, and in social and political thought – areas in which many of our faculty specialise.

Our graduates leave Sussex, not just with an understanding of the central areas of philosophical thought, but also with enhanced abilities to reflect critically, analyse texts, produce rationally compelling arguments, and think fast (and well) on the spot.

We are committed to fostering a diverse, equal and supportive environment for all our staff and students, in particular those from groups that are currently under-represented in Philosophy. 

As part of this commitment, from 2014-15, the department adopted the British Philosophical Association and UK Society for Women in Philosophy (BPA/SWiP) Good Practice Scheme. The Scheme is designed to assist UK philosophy departments, learned societies and journals in ensuring that they have policies and procedures in place that encourage the representation of women in philosophy.

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