To the complete novice, learning about philosophy can be a cause for dread. The Philosophy Book uses innovative graphics and creative typography to help demystify hard-to-grasp concepts for those new to philosophy, cutting through the haze of misunderstanding, untangling knotty theories, and shedding light on abstract concepts. Aimed at anyone with a general interest in how our social, political, and ethical ideas are formed, as well as students of philosophy and politics, The Philosophy Book breathes new life to a subject that is often regarded as esoteric and academic.
I am a writer and philosopher based in Leicester, UK, where I am currently senior lecturer in the School of Humanities at De Montfort University. I write mainly fiction, philosophy and for children (see my writing page)
I have a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1994), a Masters degree in anthropology from Durham (1997) and a PhD in philosophy from Staffordshire University (2007). I started writing fiction seriously I was in the Tanimbar islands in Indonesia, where I was undertaking research into indigenous traditions and economies of art. The Tanimbar islands were rich in stories; and so, one rainy afternoon, I sat in front of a battered old manual typewriter, and started to write stories of my own.
My PhD in philosophy, which explored amongst other things ethics, storytelling and the curious ways of obscure Indonesian gods, was completed in 2007. Meanwhile, my first novel, which drew heavily on my experience in Indonesia, was published by Tindal Street Press. Since then, I've published two philosophy books (with one more forthcoming), as well as a second novel and a children's picture book.
These days, I continue to work on various literary and philosophical projects (find out more on my writing and research pages), whilst trying to convince creative writing students that Aristotle is fun, and continuing to explore the places where stories meet philosophy, and where it seems that the question "what does it mean to be at human?" is at stake.
