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DoctorJames Norton

Senior Research Fellow

Philosophy

Orcid identifier0000-0003-3029-1788 (opens in a new tab)⁠
  • Senior Research Fellow
    Philosophy

RESEARCH SUMMARy

I have a broad range of research interests, including experimental philosophy (particularly on the concept of time, time bias and diachronic rationality, and on ethical concepts such as forgiveness and evil), the metaphysics of time, work in the philosophy of science on explanation and scientific progress, and meta-philosophical issues surrounding disagreement, methodology and philosophical progress.

I emphasise a collaborative approach to research, and my network of collaborators spans Australia, South Korea, USA, Denmark, UK, Norway, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, and Iceland. I have published articles with seventeen different collaborators, including both philosophers and psychologists.

FUNDED PROJECTS

  • GRANT
    Understanding Philosophical Progress
    31 Dec 2023 - 30 Dec 2026
    People funded by this grant:
    • Norton J
    Project Total: $428,416; This project aims to develop the first unified account of progress in science and philosophy, by extending the noetic account of scientific progress into an account of philosophical progress. According to this account, progress consists in increased understanding, i.e., in grasping how something depends on, or fails to depend on, something else. Developing a unified account will shed light on the nature of intellectual progress quite generally, as well substantially advancing meta-philosophical debates about (i) the prevalence of philosophical progress; (ii) whether, and the ways in which, expert disagreement would undermine progress; and (iii) which philosophical methodologies promote progress. Funded by: Australian Research Council - Fellowship-Discovery Early Career Researcher Award ($428,416); University of Tasmania.
  • GRANT
    Understanding Philosophical Progress
    1 Jan 2023 - 31 Dec 2025
    People funded by this grant:
    • Norton J,
    • Dellsen F
    Project Total: $730,426; The main objectives of this project are, on the one hand, to develop and evaluate a novel understanding-based account of philosophical progress - the noetic account - and, on the other hand, to use the noetic account to intervene on three current meta-philosophical debates. Funded by: Icelandic Research Fund - Research Grant; University of Iceland; University of Tasmania.