About
Welcome to the Royal Institute of Philosophy, the UK’s largest independent charitable foundation devoted to sharing philosophical thinking as widely as possible. Addressing ourselves to fundamental questions across the whole breadth of philosophy, we aim to bring these questions to the curious of every age and background, and to empower them to address these questions for themselves.
Our history
The Royal Institute of Philosophy was formally established in 1925 to educate the public in the subject of philosophy’ and to explore ‘matters which constitute the deepest and most permanent interests of the human spirit’. We continue to do so today.
Our team
Professor Jonathan Wolff
Jonathan Wolff (FBA) is the Alfred Landecker Professor of Values and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University, and Governing Body Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford.
Professor Lucy O’Brien
Professor O’Brien is Richard Wollheim Professor of Philosophy at University College London and the co-editor of Mind. She is the author of Self-Knowing Agents and co-editor of Mental Actions.
Professor Sarah Sawyer
Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sussex, Professor Sawyer is author of articles on philosophy of mind, language, metaphysics and epistemology. She is editor of New Waves in Philosophy of Language.
Professor Edward Harcourt
Professor Harcourt is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Keble College. His research lies in moral psychology, and on the boundaries between ethics and the philosophy of mind. From 2018-22 he was Director of Research, Strategy and Innovation at the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Melanie Nightingale →
Melanie Nightingale joined The Royal Institute of Philosophy as Managing Director in July 2022. A highly experienced specialist in the charitable sector she works with top philosophy communicators to engage with the newly curious, provide stimulating material for active philosophers and welcome those returning to this well loved subject.
Rebecca Davis
Rebecca is an experienced charity finance director and accountant who has worked in the NHS and consultancy, as well as in the not for profit sector. Rebecca’s undergraduate degree was in philosophy, politics and economics and more recently she returned to philosophy as a post-graduate at the University of York.
Professor Maria Alvarez
Professor Alvarez is Professor of Philosophy at King’s College London and author of Kinds of Reasons: An Essay in the Philosophy of Action. She works mainly on philosophy of action, reasons and normativity.
Professor Bill Brewer
Susan Stebbing Professor of Philosophy at King’s College London, Professor Brewer is author of Perception and Reason and Perception and Its Objects. He works on philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and epistemology and has an abiding interest in the objectivity of perceptual experience.
Members of the Executive Committee
Our Executive Committee members are trustees of the charity and serve on the editorial board of the Institute’s journals, Philosophy and Think.
Professor Ben Colburn
Professor John Haldane
Professor Beth Lord
Professor Lucy O'Brien
Dr Léa Salje
Professor Constantine Sandis
Professor Sarah Sawyer
Dr Rachael Wiseman
Dr David Edmonds
Professor James Wilson
Professor Hallvard Lillehammer
Professor Susan James
Members of the Council
Our large Council appoints the Executive Committee, and helps to determine the policies that we adopt as an educational charity and as a company limited by guarantee.
Policies and governance
Our charitable purpose is to advance the education of the public in the subject of philosophy. Our main governing document was drafted in 1925 when the Institute was founded, and revised in 2009.
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