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Professor Jonathan Webber
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Jonathan Webber
Head of Philosophy
Overview
I am currently Head of Philosophy, having arrived here as Lecturer in 2008.
My work is primarily concerned with what ethical thought can learn from twentieth-century existentialist philosophy, the ways in which social psychology can inform moral philosophy, and how existentialism and experimental social psychology might learn from one another.
My most recent book is The Penguin Book of Existentialist Philosophy.
My most recent academic monograph is Rethinking Existentialism, published by Oxford
University Press in 2018. One review has described it as "the only book one needs".
One very good way to find out more about my work is to read or listen to my freely available
Aeon magazine essay Against Type, which is about French existentialism, social psychology,
and contemporary ethics.
I am Director of The Mind Association and President of the UK Sartre Society.
I was President of the British Society for Ethical Theory 2014-19.
Publication
2024
- Webber, J. 2024. Rethinking Existentialism: A response to Eshleman, Kirkpatrick and Romdenh-Romluc. Sartre Studies International: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Existentialism and Contemporary Culture 30 (1) 64. (10.3167/ssi.2024.300107)
- Webber, J. 2024. Sartre's critique of patriarchy. French Studies 78 (1), pp.72-88. (10.1093/fs/knad237)
2023
- Webber, J. 2023. Rethinking Existentialism: From radical freedom to project sedimentation. In: Saunders, J. ed. Freedom After Kant: From German Idealism to Ethics and the Self. London: Bloomsbury. , pp.191-204.
- Webber, J. 2023. Sartre and the international impact of existentialism, edited by Alfred Betschart and Juliane Werner (Palgrave, 2020) [Book Review]. Sartre Studies International 29 (1), pp.90-107. (10.3167/ssi.2023.290106)
- Webber, J. 2023. Transcendental phenomenology meets negritude poetry. In: Heter, T. S. and Sealey, K. F. eds. Creolizing Sartre. Creolizing the Canon Lanham MA: Rowman and Littlefield. , pp.[n/a].
2022
- Webber, J. 2022. Integrity as the goal of character education. Values and Virtues for a Challenging World: Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements 92 , pp.185-207. (10.1017/S1358246122000273)
2020
- Webber, J. 2020. Being and nothingness: An essay in phenomenological ontology, by Jean-Paul Sartre, translated by Sarah Richmond (Routledge, 2018) [Book Review]. Mind 129 (513), pp.332-339. (10.1093/mind/fzz024)
- Webber, J. 2020. Evaluative attitudes as the motivational structures of ethical virtues. In: Darnell, C. A. and Kristjánsson, K. eds. Virtues and Virtue Education in Theory and Practice: Are Virtues Local or Universal?. New York: Routledge. , pp.55-68. (10.4324/9780429343131)
- Webber, J. 2020. Sartre's critique of Husserl. British Journal for the History of Philosophy 28 (1), pp.155-176. (10.1080/09608788.2019.1591339)
- Webber, J. 2020. Sartre's phenomenological psychology of imagination. In: The Sartrean Mind. Routledge Philosophical Minds Abingdon: Routledge
- Webber, J. 2020. Sociality, seriousness, and cynicism: a response to Ronald Santoni on bad faith. Sartre Studies International 26 (1), pp.61-76. (10.3167/ssi.2020.260106)
2019
- Webber, J. 2019. Bad faith and the unconscious. In: LaFolette, H. , Deigh, J. and Stroud, S. eds. International Encyclopedia of Ethics. John Wiley and Sons(10.1002/9781444367072.wbiee619.pub2)
- Webber, J. 2019. Existential flourishing: A phenomenology of the virtues [Book Review]. Philosophical Quarterly , pp.-. (10.1093/pq/pqz054)
2018
- Webber, J. 2018. Beauvoir and the meaning of life. In: Leach, S. and Tartaglia, J. eds. The Meaning of Life and the Great Philosophers. Abingdon and New York: Routledge
- Webber, J. 2018. Rethinking existentialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Webber, J. 2018. Sartre’s transcendental phenomenology. In: Zahavi, D. ed. The Oxford Handbook of the History of Phenomenology. Oxford Handbooks Oxford: Oxford University Press. , pp.286-301.
2016
- Webber, J. 2016. Habituation and first-person authority. In: Altshuler, R. and Sigrist, M. J. eds. Time and the Philosophy of Action. Routledge Studies in Contemporary Philosophy Abingdon and New York: Routledge. , pp.189-204.
- Webber, J. 2016. Instilling virtue. In: Masala, A. and Webber, J. eds. From Personality to Virtue: Essays on the Philosophy of Character. Oxford: Oxford University Press. , pp.134-154.
- Webber, J. 2016. Knowing one's own desires. In: Dahlstrom, D. O. , Elpidorou, A. and Hopp, W. eds. Philosophy of Mind and Phenomenology: Conceptual and Empirical Approaches. Routledge Research in Phenomenology Abingdon and New York: Routledge. , pp.165-179.
2015
- Webber, J. 2015. Character, attitude and disposition. European Journal of Philosophy 23 (4), pp.1082-1096. (10.1111/ejop.12028)
2014
- Rees, C. F. and Webber, J. 2014. Automaticity in virtuous action. In: Snow, N. and Trivigno, F. eds. The Philosophy and Psychology of Character and Happiness. Routledge Studies in Ethics and Moral Theory London: Routledge. , pp.75-90.
2013
- Rees, C. F. and Webber, J. 2013. Constancy, fidelity, and integrity. In: van Hooft, S. ed. The Handbook of Virtue Ethics. Acumen Handbooks Abingdon: Acumen. , pp.399-408.
- Scaife, R. and Webber, J. 2013. Intentional side-effects of action. Journal of Moral Philosophy 10 (2), pp.179-203. (10.1163/17455243-4681004)
- Webber, J. 2013. Authenticity. In: Churchill, S. and Reynolds, J. eds. Jean-Paul Sartre: Key Concepts. Acumen. , pp.131-142.
- Webber, J. 2013. Bad faith and the unconscious. In: LaFolette, H. ed. International Encyclopedia of Ethics. Wiley. , pp.471-479.
- Webber, J. 2013. Cultivating virtue. In: Carel, H. and Meacham, D. eds. Phenomenology and Naturalism: Examining the Relationship between Human Experience and Nature. Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements Vol. 72.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. , pp.239-259.
- Webber, J. 2013. Liar!. Analysis 73 (4), pp.651-659. (10.1093/analys/ant081)
2012
- Webber, J. 2012. A law unto oneself. The Philosophical Quarterly 62 (246), pp.170-189. (10.1111/j.1467-9213.2011.692.x)
- Webber, J. 2012. Where's Beauvoir? The boxer and the goalkeeper: Sartre versus Camus, by Andy Martin [Book Review]. Times Literary Supplement 5724 , pp.26.
2011
- Webber, J. 2011. Bad faith and the Other. In: Webber, J. ed. Reading Sartre: on Phenomenology and Existentialism. London: Routledge. , pp.180-194.
- Webber, J. 2011. Catalano, Joseph S. Reading Sartre - 213pp, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010, Paperback,£25.99, ISBN 9780521152273 [Book Review]. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
- Webber, J. 2011. Climate change and public moral reasoning. In: Brooks, T. ed. New Waves in Ethics. New Waves in Philosophy Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. , pp.278-294.
- Webber, J. 2011. Freedom. In: Luft, S. and Overgaard, S. eds. The Routledge Companion to Phenomenology. Routledge Philosophy Companions Routledge. , pp.327-335.
- Webber, J. 2011. There Is Something About Inez. Think 10 (27), pp.45-56. (10.1017/S1477175610000345)
- Webber, J. 2011. Virtue and Vice in the Hurt Locker. Dialogue: A Journal of Religion and Philosophy 37 , pp.19-21.
2010
- Webber, J. 2010. Character. The Philosophers' Magazine 50 , pp.112-113.
- Webber, J. 2010. Existentialism. In: Skorupski, J. ed. The Routledge Companion to Ethics. London: Routledge. , pp.230-240.
2009
- Webber, J. 2009. Reconstructing Alfie. The Philosophers' Magazine 47 , pp.61-66.
- Webber, J. 2009. Sex. Philosophy 84 (2), pp.233-250. (10.1017/S0031819109000205)
- Webber, J. 2009. The existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre. Routledge Studies in Twentieth-Century Philosophy Vol. 30London: Routledge.
2007
- Webber, J. 2007. Character, common-sense, and expertise. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 10 (1), pp.89-104. (10.1007/s10677-006-9041-7)
- Webber, J. 2007. Character, global and local. Utilitas 19 (4), pp.430-434. (10.1017/S0953820807002725)
2006
- Webber, J. 2006. Character, consistency, and classification. Mind 115 (459), pp.651-658. (10.1093/mind/fzl651)
- Webber, J. 2006. Sartre's theory of character. European Journal of Philosophy 14 (1), pp.94-116. (10.1111/j.1468-0378.2006.00245.x)
- Webber, J. 2006. Virtue, character and situation. Journal of Moral Philosophy 3 , pp.193-213.
2002
- Webber, J. 2002. Doing without representation: coping with Dreyfus. Philosophical Exploration 5 (1), pp.82-88. (10.1080/10002002018538723)
- Webber, J. 2002. Motivated aversion: bad faith and non-thetic awareness. Sartre Studies International 8 (1), pp.45-57. (10.3167/135715502781809693)
Articles
- Scaife, R. and Webber, J. 2013. Intentional side-effects of action. Journal of Moral Philosophy 10 (2), pp.179-203. (10.1163/17455243-4681004)
- Webber, J. 2012. A law unto oneself. The Philosophical Quarterly 62 (246), pp.170-189. (10.1111/j.1467-9213.2011.692.x)
- Webber, J. 2020. Being and nothingness: An essay in phenomenological ontology, by Jean-Paul Sartre, translated by Sarah Richmond (Routledge, 2018) [Book Review]. Mind 129 (513), pp.332-339. (10.1093/mind/fzz024)
- Webber, J. 2011. Catalano, Joseph S. Reading Sartre - 213pp, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010, Paperback,£25.99, ISBN 9780521152273 [Book Review]. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
- Webber, J. 2010. Character. The Philosophers' Magazine 50 , pp.112-113.
- Webber, J. 2015. Character, attitude and disposition. European Journal of Philosophy 23 (4), pp.1082-1096. (10.1111/ejop.12028)
- Webber, J. 2007. Character, common-sense, and expertise. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 10 (1), pp.89-104. (10.1007/s10677-006-9041-7)
- Webber, J. 2006. Character, consistency, and classification. Mind 115 (459), pp.651-658. (10.1093/mind/fzl651)
- Webber, J. 2007. Character, global and local. Utilitas 19 (4), pp.430-434. (10.1017/S0953820807002725)
- Webber, J. 2002. Doing without representation: coping with Dreyfus. Philosophical Exploration 5 (1), pp.82-88. (10.1080/10002002018538723)
- Webber, J. 2019. Existential flourishing: A phenomenology of the virtues [Book Review]. Philosophical Quarterly , pp.-. (10.1093/pq/pqz054)
- Webber, J. 2022. Integrity as the goal of character education. Values and Virtues for a Challenging World: Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements 92 , pp.185-207. (10.1017/S1358246122000273)
- Webber, J. 2013. Liar!. Analysis 73 (4), pp.651-659. (10.1093/analys/ant081)
- Webber, J. 2002. Motivated aversion: bad faith and non-thetic awareness. Sartre Studies International 8 (1), pp.45-57. (10.3167/135715502781809693)
- Webber, J. 2009. Reconstructing Alfie. The Philosophers' Magazine 47 , pp.61-66.
- Webber, J. 2024. Rethinking Existentialism: A response to Eshleman, Kirkpatrick and Romdenh-Romluc. Sartre Studies International: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Existentialism and Contemporary Culture 30 (1) 64. (10.3167/ssi.2024.300107)
- Webber, J. 2023. Sartre and the international impact of existentialism, edited by Alfred Betschart and Juliane Werner (Palgrave, 2020) [Book Review]. Sartre Studies International 29 (1), pp.90-107. (10.3167/ssi.2023.290106)
- Webber, J. 2020. Sartre's critique of Husserl. British Journal for the History of Philosophy 28 (1), pp.155-176. (10.1080/09608788.2019.1591339)
- Webber, J. 2024. Sartre's critique of patriarchy. French Studies 78 (1), pp.72-88. (10.1093/fs/knad237)
- Webber, J. 2006. Sartre's theory of character. European Journal of Philosophy 14 (1), pp.94-116. (10.1111/j.1468-0378.2006.00245.x)
- Webber, J. 2009. Sex. Philosophy 84 (2), pp.233-250. (10.1017/S0031819109000205)
- Webber, J. 2020. Sociality, seriousness, and cynicism: a response to Ronald Santoni on bad faith. Sartre Studies International 26 (1), pp.61-76. (10.3167/ssi.2020.260106)
- Webber, J. 2011. There Is Something About Inez. Think 10 (27), pp.45-56. (10.1017/S1477175610000345)
- Webber, J. 2011. Virtue and Vice in the Hurt Locker. Dialogue: A Journal of Religion and Philosophy 37 , pp.19-21.
- Webber, J. 2006. Virtue, character and situation. Journal of Moral Philosophy 3 , pp.193-213.
- Webber, J. 2012. Where's Beauvoir? The boxer and the goalkeeper: Sartre versus Camus, by Andy Martin [Book Review]. Times Literary Supplement 5724 , pp.26.
Book sections
- Rees, C. F. and Webber, J. 2014. Automaticity in virtuous action. In: Snow, N. and Trivigno, F. eds. The Philosophy and Psychology of Character and Happiness. Routledge Studies in Ethics and Moral Theory London: Routledge. , pp.75-90.
- Rees, C. F. and Webber, J. 2013. Constancy, fidelity, and integrity. In: van Hooft, S. ed. The Handbook of Virtue Ethics. Acumen Handbooks Abingdon: Acumen. , pp.399-408.
- Webber, J. 2013. Authenticity. In: Churchill, S. and Reynolds, J. eds. Jean-Paul Sartre: Key Concepts. Acumen. , pp.131-142.
- Webber, J. 2011. Bad faith and the Other. In: Webber, J. ed. Reading Sartre: on Phenomenology and Existentialism. London: Routledge. , pp.180-194.
- Webber, J. 2013. Bad faith and the unconscious. In: LaFolette, H. ed. International Encyclopedia of Ethics. Wiley. , pp.471-479.
- Webber, J. 2019. Bad faith and the unconscious. In: LaFolette, H. , Deigh, J. and Stroud, S. eds. International Encyclopedia of Ethics. John Wiley and Sons(10.1002/9781444367072.wbiee619.pub2)
- Webber, J. 2018. Beauvoir and the meaning of life. In: Leach, S. and Tartaglia, J. eds. The Meaning of Life and the Great Philosophers. Abingdon and New York: Routledge
- Webber, J. 2011. Climate change and public moral reasoning. In: Brooks, T. ed. New Waves in Ethics. New Waves in Philosophy Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. , pp.278-294.
- Webber, J. 2013. Cultivating virtue. In: Carel, H. and Meacham, D. eds. Phenomenology and Naturalism: Examining the Relationship between Human Experience and Nature. Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements Vol. 72.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. , pp.239-259.
- Webber, J. 2020. Evaluative attitudes as the motivational structures of ethical virtues. In: Darnell, C. A. and Kristjánsson, K. eds. Virtues and Virtue Education in Theory and Practice: Are Virtues Local or Universal?. New York: Routledge. , pp.55-68. (10.4324/9780429343131)
- Webber, J. 2010. Existentialism. In: Skorupski, J. ed. The Routledge Companion to Ethics. London: Routledge. , pp.230-240.
- Webber, J. 2011. Freedom. In: Luft, S. and Overgaard, S. eds. The Routledge Companion to Phenomenology. Routledge Philosophy Companions Routledge. , pp.327-335.
- Webber, J. 2016. Habituation and first-person authority. In: Altshuler, R. and Sigrist, M. J. eds. Time and the Philosophy of Action. Routledge Studies in Contemporary Philosophy Abingdon and New York: Routledge. , pp.189-204.
- Webber, J. 2016. Instilling virtue. In: Masala, A. and Webber, J. eds. From Personality to Virtue: Essays on the Philosophy of Character. Oxford: Oxford University Press. , pp.134-154.
- Webber, J. 2016. Knowing one's own desires. In: Dahlstrom, D. O. , Elpidorou, A. and Hopp, W. eds. Philosophy of Mind and Phenomenology: Conceptual and Empirical Approaches. Routledge Research in Phenomenology Abingdon and New York: Routledge. , pp.165-179.
- Webber, J. 2023. Rethinking Existentialism: From radical freedom to project sedimentation. In: Saunders, J. ed. Freedom After Kant: From German Idealism to Ethics and the Self. London: Bloomsbury. , pp.191-204.
- Webber, J. 2020. Sartre's phenomenological psychology of imagination. In: The Sartrean Mind. Routledge Philosophical Minds Abingdon: Routledge
- Webber, J. 2018. Sartre’s transcendental phenomenology. In: Zahavi, D. ed. The Oxford Handbook of the History of Phenomenology. Oxford Handbooks Oxford: Oxford University Press. , pp.286-301.
- Webber, J. 2023. Transcendental phenomenology meets negritude poetry. In: Heter, T. S. and Sealey, K. F. eds. Creolizing Sartre. Creolizing the Canon Lanham MA: Rowman and Littlefield. , pp.[n/a].
Books
- Webber, J. 2018. Rethinking existentialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Webber, J. 2009. The existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre. Routledge Studies in Twentieth-Century Philosophy Vol. 30London: Routledge.
Biography
Professor of Philosophy, Cardiff University, since 2017
Reader in Philosophy, Cardiff University, 2012-17
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Cardiff University, 2010-12
Lecturer in Philosophy, Cardiff University, 2008-10
Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Bristol, 2006-8
Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Sheffield, 2001-6
PhD in Philosophy, University of London, 2001
MPhil in Philosophy, University of London, 1997
BA(Hons) in Philosophy and Theology, University of Oxford, 1994
Supervisions
I am interested in supervising doctoral research that does at least one of these things:
- considers implications of cognitive psychology or social psychology for moral philosophy
- analyses concepts and claims central to contemporary social psychology
- argues for the relevance of works of twentieth-century existentialism to moral philosophy
- analyses works of twentieth-century phenomenology and existentialism
Current Projects
The Phenomenology of Shyness
– Darren Gillies
Rethinking the Absurdity of Life: A Metaexistential Inquiry
– Thom Hamer
Reciprocity and Universal Moral Grammar
– Harriet Ivison
Recent Projects
Disgust and its Implications for Naturalistic Virtue Ethics
– James Paskin
Ontological Critique: A Philosophical Tool for Advancing Social Psychology
– Matthew Jenkins
The Communicative Theory of Punishment and the Problem of Dangerous Offenders
– Daisy Seabourne
Kant and the Unity of Reason
– John Saunders
A Humean Metaphysics of Character
– Ethan Chambers
