David Phillips

David Phillips is Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Houston within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. His research specializes in ethics with primary focus on the history of ethics and metaethics, particularly British moral philosophers including Henry Sidgwick and W.D. Ross.

Dr. Phillips' educational background includes:

• Lincoln College, Oxford University (1983-1986): B.A. with first class honours in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
• Cornell University (1986-1993): M.A. in Philosophy (1989), Ph.D. in Philosophy (1993)

His scholarly work centers on reconstructing historical ethical frameworks while engaging contemporary debates. Phillips has produced a trilogy of Oxford University Press monographs analyzing Sidgwick's philosophy, culminating in his 2022 guide to The Methods of Ethics. His research consistently bridges historical interpretation with metaethical inquiry, examining moral motivation, error theory, and the foundations of normative ethics through the lens of 18th-19th century British thought.

Analysis of his publication record reveals sustained engagement with Sidgwick's dualism of practical reason, Rossian deontology, and Humean moral psychology. His work demonstrates methodological sophistication in connecting historical texts to current metaethical controversies, particularly regarding moral semantics, psychological internalism, and the viability of moral realism. Recurring thematic threads include the tension between egoism and altruism, the epistemology of moral intuitions, and the interpretation of classical utilitarianism.