Professor Maria Alvarez

Biography

Maria Alvarez is Head of the Philosophy Department and Co-Editor of Philosophy, the journal of the Royal Institute of Philosophy.

Before coming to King’s, Maria Alvarez was a lecturer at the University of Southampton, having previously taught at the Universities of Oxford and Reading.

Research interests and PhD supervision

• Philosophy of action, including the metaphysics and explanation of actions
• Reasons for action, normativity
• Agent causation, agential powers
• Abilities, choice, freedom and moral responsibility
• GEM Anscombe

Teaching

• Philosophy of Mind and Action
• Moral Responsibility
• Ethics
• Metaethics

Expertise and public engagement

I am happy to talk to the media about topics connected to human agency, freedom, moral responsibility, and ethics.

• Panel Discussion with Michael Sandel on his recent book the Tyranny of Merit, at the Fair Society Series, November 2022.
• Covid passports and Liberty for The Guardian.
• ‘The Philosopher’s Arms: Weakness of Will’, BBC Radio4 Programme.