معرفی
James Hutton is an Assistant Professor of Ethics and Philosophy of Technology at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands. He holds a PhD from Cambridge University (2019) and has previously held positions as a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at Edinburgh University and as a fixed-term Lecturer at University College London (UCL).
His primary research interests focus on moral psychology, particularly the relationship between emotions and ethical knowledge. Hutton defends the position that we can gain ethical knowledge through emotional experiences, developing what he calls an "emotion-based" methodology for environmental ethics. His work addresses longstanding philosophical problems regarding environmental value and ethical decision-making. He also has significant expertise in Kantian philosophy, with additional interests in moral epistemology, moral intuitionism, and comparative ethics including Confucian and Buddhist traditions.
Hutton's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersection of emotion, perception, and moral knowledge. His recent work explores how emotion-enriched moral perceptions can provide justification for moral beliefs, challenges to attentional moral perception theories, and Kantian analyses of causation and animal cognition. His research shows a progression from historical Kant scholarship toward more applied ethical concerns, particularly regarding environmental ethics.
Hutton is actively engaged in public philosophy, having developed an ethical assessment framework for offshore energy for the Dutch Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend, and participating in public events such as the Edinburgh Science Festival and TU Delft's climate ethics initiatives. He also writes for general audiences through platforms like Nautilus and podcast appearances.
His current research includes developing an emotion-based approach to environmental ethics, exploring recalcitrant emotions, and working on Kant's model of perception in the Critique of Pure Reason, alongside a top-secret book project.
