Philosophy

About our research

Philosophy research at Edinburgh has a rich history, from the establishment of the University of Edinburgh in 1583 through to the present day.

REF 2021

Edinburgh Philosophy is a vibrant international community of 35 philosophers. Our research excellence, whose quality and breadth is ranked 4th in the UK by Times Higher Education (Power THE), has transformed academic and public understanding of the human condition, the natural world, and our place within it. Our research has informed the public worldwide via Massive Open Online Courses attracting over half-million people across 184 sovereign states. It has influenced industrial product design at leading international technology companies as well as the practice of prize-winning artists, museums, and galleries. It has helped prisons, cultural organisations, and commercial businesses to educate for the intellectual virtues.

Useful links:

History of philosophy of Edinburgh

Listen to our podcast to find out what philosophers and other academics at the School of PPLS have been researching.

Postdoctoral fellowships

And if you’re interested in applying for a postdoctoral fellowship in the department you can find more information here:

Research areas

Browse our research by topic

Research highlights

A selection of major research projects in Philosophy

Research centres and units

Edinburgh Centre for Data, Culture & Society

Impact and public engagement

Impact, knowledge exchange and public engagement from philosophy researchers at Edinburgh

Research seminars and reading groups

Regular meetings to discuss research, books and papers

PPLS Academic visitors

We welcome applications from academic staff based in overseas institutions wishing to visit the School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences (PPLS)