Rachel Cooper

Rachel Cooper is a Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at Lancaster University's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She holds a position in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion. Her work critically examines psychiatric classification systems, particularly the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and explores philosophical issues in medicine and science. Cooper has held roles including Honorary Secretary of the British Society for the Philosophy of Science and committee membership in the Aristotelian Society.

Her research focuses on the conceptual foundations of mental disorder, the nature of psychiatric science, and the ethical implications of medicalization. Major publications include Classifying Madness (2005), Psychiatry and the Philosophy of Science (2007), and Diagnosing the DSM (2014). These works critique the DSM's epistemic and social foundations while proposing alternative frameworks for understanding health and disease.

Cooper has secured significant grants, including a British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship (2013) for her DSM evaluation project and an AHRC Research Network Grant (2008) co-led with Havi Carel on health and disease concepts. Her upcoming work extends to redefining the concept of disease, building on her 2002 paper Disease.

• Professional Roles: British Society for the Philosophy of Science (Hon Secretary 2007–2010)
• Key Grants: British Academy Fellowship, AHRC Network Grant
• Supervision: Focuses on philosophy of science, psychiatry, and medical metaphysics