A little about me

When I left school, I had absolutely no intention of going to university. I didn’t even bother filling out an application form because all I wanted to do was play tennis. And yet, many years later, I ended up attending university! Why’s that? That’s a long story, but in short, I grew to love thinking about some of life’s big questions and have been hooked on philosophy ever since.

I was fortunate enough to attend the University of Oxford, where I completed a BA in Philosophy and Theology (First Class) and then an MPhil in Philosophical Theology. After that, I did my PhD in Philosophy at Durham University, focusing on Applications of a Neo-Aristotelian Metaphysics of Powers in the Domain of the Philosophy of Religion. During this time, and for the following year, I also taught Philosophy at Durham before moving back to Oxford to teach at both Pembroke College and Oriel College.

At present, I teach Divinity (i.e., Philosophy and Theology) at Eton College, and therefore my daily attire is something akin to a morning suit and white bow tie. As a schoolmaster, I also teach sport regularly and serve as a deputy housemaster in one of the boarding houses.

In between work and a busy family life—with a wife and three young children—I continue to conduct research in my spare time, as I find it enjoyable to think about how to formulate and respond to arguments, as well as to explore how work done in one area of philosophy can impact another. Given this, the topics I research can vary widely, although they usually have some connection to the philosophy of religion. I am also a co-founder of BATS (the British Analytic Theology Symposium), which runs symposia biannually and aims to promote the continued flourishing of analytic theology in the UK.