David O'Brien

David O'Brien is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (since 2024). Previously, he held an Assistant Professor position in Philosophy and Political Economy at Tulane University (2019–2024), where he also directed the Center for Ethics and Public Affairs (2021–2022). He earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy from UW-Madison in 2019 and was a faculty fellow at Harvard University’s Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics (2022–2023). His research focuses on the philosophy of education, exploring how liberty, equality, and community intersect with educational justice, alongside moral and political philosophy, particularly telic egalitarianism—the idea that inequality in life outcomes is non-instrumentally problematic.

His research spans ethics, political theory, and educational policy. Notable works include analyses of fairness in higher education, egalitarian approaches to technology, and debates over distributive justice. He has published in journals like Journal of Moral Philosophy, Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy, and Theory and Research in Education.

While no awards are explicitly listed, his academic trajectory includes prestigious fellowships and directorships. His teaching and research emphasize critical engagement with ethical frameworks in education and public policy.