Tom Roberts
@tomroberts.bsky.social
Philosopher at the University of Exeter (Perception, Emotion, Cognition; Aesthetics; AI).
Reposted by Tom Roberts
If you are wondering what Labour plans to do to British universities, I wrote a piece for you! isrf.org/blog/labours...
November 6, 2025 at 1:59 PM
If you are wondering what Labour plans to do to British universities, I wrote a piece for you! isrf.org/blog/labours...
Reposted by Tom Roberts
Friends. Lovers. Therapists. Deathbots. AI is now fulfilling new roles for millions of us every single day. How are these new 'relationships' changing how we view technology - and each other?
Love Machines by James Muldoon is the first book on AI companions. Out January: linktr.ee/lovemachinesbook
Love Machines by James Muldoon is the first book on AI companions. Out January: linktr.ee/lovemachinesbook
October 14, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Friends. Lovers. Therapists. Deathbots. AI is now fulfilling new roles for millions of us every single day. How are these new 'relationships' changing how we view technology - and each other?
Love Machines by James Muldoon is the first book on AI companions. Out January: linktr.ee/lovemachinesbook
Love Machines by James Muldoon is the first book on AI companions. Out January: linktr.ee/lovemachinesbook
Reposted by Tom Roberts
Thanks to Cardiff for funding our Sad Philosophy Workshop next week with me, @lopezcantero.bsky.social and @bexmillar.bsky.social
We’ll be in the melancholy domains of grief and negative relationships, heartbreak and chatbots, and ai psychosis 🖤 🖤🖤
We’ll be in the melancholy domains of grief and negative relationships, heartbreak and chatbots, and ai psychosis 🖤 🖤🖤
#philsky
A Sad Philosophy Workshop
GRIEF, HEARTBREAK, & HALLUCINATIONS
Pilar Lopez-Cantero (Antwerp)
Becky Millar (Cardiff)
Lucy Osler (Exeter)
13:30-17:30, Friday 26 September
1.57 John Percival Building
Cardiff University
Free! All welcome!
Register here: bit.ly/CdfGHH#philsky
A Sad Philosophy Workshop
GRIEF, HEARTBREAK, & HALLUCINATIONS
Pilar Lopez-Cantero (Antwerp)
Becky Millar (Cardiff)
Lucy Osler (Exeter)
13:30-17:30, Friday 26 September
1.57 John Percival Building
Cardiff University
Free! All welcome!
Register here: bit.ly/CdfGHH#philsky
September 15, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Thanks to Cardiff for funding our Sad Philosophy Workshop next week with me, @lopezcantero.bsky.social and @bexmillar.bsky.social
We’ll be in the melancholy domains of grief and negative relationships, heartbreak and chatbots, and ai psychosis 🖤 🖤🖤
We’ll be in the melancholy domains of grief and negative relationships, heartbreak and chatbots, and ai psychosis 🖤 🖤🖤
Reposted by Tom Roberts
This is a public service announcement. The BJA has published a brand new issue. That is all. academic.oup.com/bjaesthetics... #philsky
September 7, 2025 at 1:36 PM
This is a public service announcement. The BJA has published a brand new issue. That is all. academic.oup.com/bjaesthetics... #philsky
Reposted by Tom Roberts
🎉 What a lovely way to celebrate my first day at Exeter! This fun conversation with Jim Baxter @ethicsuntangled.bsky.social about a paper my now-colleague @joelkrueger.com and I wrote on AI Gossip is now up!
In the podcast we discuss how AI systems might engage in gossip-like behaviour 🙊
In the podcast we discuss how AI systems might engage in gossip-like behaviour 🙊
Happy September everyone. We're back with a conversation about one of the weirder, more unexpectred and potentially more problematic things that large language models can apparently do - gossip.
www.buzzsprout.com/2113237/epis...
www.buzzsprout.com/2113237/epis...
September 1, 2025 at 3:40 PM
🎉 What a lovely way to celebrate my first day at Exeter! This fun conversation with Jim Baxter @ethicsuntangled.bsky.social about a paper my now-colleague @joelkrueger.com and I wrote on AI Gossip is now up!
In the podcast we discuss how AI systems might engage in gossip-like behaviour 🙊
In the podcast we discuss how AI systems might engage in gossip-like behaviour 🙊
Reposted by Tom Roberts
Why was Newton so sure that if you just did his optical experiments you’d *have* to believe him about light? Kirsten Walsh, Tom Roberts and I use 4E cognition to suggest an answer. Anachronism? You be the judge… (also i’m real proud of this paper) www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/epdf/10.... #philsci
Situated Cognition in Early Modern Experimentation: the Case of Compelled Assent
www.journals.uchicago.edu
August 22, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Why was Newton so sure that if you just did his optical experiments you’d *have* to believe him about light? Kirsten Walsh, Tom Roberts and I use 4E cognition to suggest an answer. Anachronism? You be the judge… (also i’m real proud of this paper) www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/epdf/10.... #philsci
Reposted by Tom Roberts
August 1, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Reposted by Tom Roberts
🚨Project 🚨My project “Human Genomics without Racism” kicks off during #ISHPSSB25.
Join us for the Symposium “Values, Bias, and Controversies” on Monday 21, 14:30.
#philsky
#popgen
#evosky
#STS
#biological
#HPbio
hugera.org
Join us for the Symposium “Values, Bias, and Controversies” on Monday 21, 14:30.
#philsky
#popgen
#evosky
#STS
#biological
#HPbio
hugera.org
Home - HUGERA
The Human Genomics without Racism (HUGERA) project brings together geneticists, philosophers, and social scientists to create tools for an ethically sound science of human variation. Latest News
hugera.org
July 18, 2025 at 1:43 PM
🚨Project 🚨My project “Human Genomics without Racism” kicks off during #ISHPSSB25.
Join us for the Symposium “Values, Bias, and Controversies” on Monday 21, 14:30.
#philsky
#popgen
#evosky
#STS
#biological
#HPbio
hugera.org
Join us for the Symposium “Values, Bias, and Controversies” on Monday 21, 14:30.
#philsky
#popgen
#evosky
#STS
#biological
#HPbio
hugera.org
Reposted by Tom Roberts
Everyone stop, this is important
July 7, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Everyone stop, this is important
Reposted by Tom Roberts
Many of these examples came together in our new chapter on Lonely Objects and Obsolete Affordances (@tomroberts.bsky.social and @joelkrueger.com)! Thanks so much for the inspiration ❤️
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
June 23, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Many of these examples came together in our new chapter on Lonely Objects and Obsolete Affordances (@tomroberts.bsky.social and @joelkrueger.com)! Thanks so much for the inspiration ❤️
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Reposted by Tom Roberts
Brilliant statement from the Society for Women in Philosophy - a model response to recent events.
"SWIP UK membership, in line with our recognitions and aims, has for many years been open to trans women and to other trans and/or non-binary people [...] this will not change under any circumstances"
"SWIP UK membership, in line with our recognitions and aims, has for many years been open to trans women and to other trans and/or non-binary people [...] this will not change under any circumstances"
May 13, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Brilliant statement from the Society for Women in Philosophy - a model response to recent events.
"SWIP UK membership, in line with our recognitions and aims, has for many years been open to trans women and to other trans and/or non-binary people [...] this will not change under any circumstances"
"SWIP UK membership, in line with our recognitions and aims, has for many years been open to trans women and to other trans and/or non-binary people [...] this will not change under any circumstances"
Reposted by Tom Roberts
Labour has a whopping great majority and four years left to turn this country around.
They should be setting the agenda, not chasing about trying to placate voters of a party with five MPs who will never vote for them anyway.
It's not only disappointing... it's embarrassing
They should be setting the agenda, not chasing about trying to placate voters of a party with five MPs who will never vote for them anyway.
It's not only disappointing... it's embarrassing
May 12, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Labour has a whopping great majority and four years left to turn this country around.
They should be setting the agenda, not chasing about trying to placate voters of a party with five MPs who will never vote for them anyway.
It's not only disappointing... it's embarrassing
They should be setting the agenda, not chasing about trying to placate voters of a party with five MPs who will never vote for them anyway.
It's not only disappointing... it's embarrassing
Reposted by Tom Roberts
In this open access 🔓 article, Panos Paris breathes new life into a view of beauty that has fallen on hard times, despite holding sway for millennia. doi.org/10.1093/aest...
![‘[O]n the one hand, by far the longest-standing theories of beauty construed it as partly objective and dependent on form; on the other hand, many of late think that there is little we can say about what makes objects beautiful, other than that they please us..’
- Panos Paris, 'On Beauty and Wellformedness'](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:chsp27b6x6v5fyeqzazfpspx/bafkreicqvn5saga5mrkeu7ap5d7m7hbk57jnowu5ix72wogkdunnotvq5y@jpeg)
April 25, 2025 at 11:05 AM
In this open access 🔓 article, Panos Paris breathes new life into a view of beauty that has fallen on hard times, despite holding sway for millennia. doi.org/10.1093/aest...
Reposted by Tom Roberts
In this advance article, Tom Roberts argues that appreciators can suffer aesthetic injustice when excluded from aesthetic goods more fully available to others.
March 31, 2025 at 3:41 PM
In this advance article, Tom Roberts argues that appreciators can suffer aesthetic injustice when excluded from aesthetic goods more fully available to others.
Reposted by Tom Roberts
We're hiring! Lecturer in Philosophy (Artificial Intelligence and Data). Deadline for applications: 17th April 2025 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DML775/l... #philsky #philmind #cogsci #philsci
Lecturer in Philosophy (Artificial Intelligence and Data) (Education and Research) at University of Exeter
Searching for an academic job? Explore this Lecturer in Philosophy (Artificial Intelligence and Data) (Education and Research) opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academ...
www.jobs.ac.uk
March 27, 2025 at 4:36 PM
We're hiring! Lecturer in Philosophy (Artificial Intelligence and Data). Deadline for applications: 17th April 2025 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DML775/l... #philsky #philmind #cogsci #philsci
This is just to say
I have read the Yemen strike plans
that were in
the group chat
and which
you were probably saving
for those
with appropriate security clearance
Forgive me
they were delicious
so strategic
and so secret
I have read the Yemen strike plans
that were in
the group chat
and which
you were probably saving
for those
with appropriate security clearance
Forgive me
they were delicious
so strategic
and so secret
March 24, 2025 at 9:17 PM
This is just to say
I have read the Yemen strike plans
that were in
the group chat
and which
you were probably saving
for those
with appropriate security clearance
Forgive me
they were delicious
so strategic
and so secret
I have read the Yemen strike plans
that were in
the group chat
and which
you were probably saving
for those
with appropriate security clearance
Forgive me
they were delicious
so strategic
and so secret
Great colloquium talk this evening by the inimitable Ian Kidd.
#miseries
#misanthropy
#meaninglessness
#mortality
#miseries
#misanthropy
#meaninglessness
#mortality
February 26, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Great colloquium talk this evening by the inimitable Ian Kidd.
#miseries
#misanthropy
#meaninglessness
#mortality
#miseries
#misanthropy
#meaninglessness
#mortality
Reposted by Tom Roberts
One underreported facet of the Great University Crisis is the contribution of a small number of consultancy firms who recommend:
*Centralise functions
*Cut small courses
*Reduce student options
*Abolish loads of joint awards
*Chop staff headcount
This is *exactly* what you must not do. (1/3)
*Centralise functions
*Cut small courses
*Reduce student options
*Abolish loads of joint awards
*Chop staff headcount
This is *exactly* what you must not do. (1/3)
February 13, 2025 at 10:26 AM
One underreported facet of the Great University Crisis is the contribution of a small number of consultancy firms who recommend:
*Centralise functions
*Cut small courses
*Reduce student options
*Abolish loads of joint awards
*Chop staff headcount
This is *exactly* what you must not do. (1/3)
*Centralise functions
*Cut small courses
*Reduce student options
*Abolish loads of joint awards
*Chop staff headcount
This is *exactly* what you must not do. (1/3)
Reposted by Tom Roberts
🚨TALK 🚨
Is AI Ethics futile? Why effective ethical interventions on AI are hard to obtain?
Join us later today at Egenis for this talk by my amazing colleague Tyler Brunet (Exeter). 15:30-17:00 GMT. Link below:
www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai...
#AI
#Philsky
#philsci
Is AI Ethics futile? Why effective ethical interventions on AI are hard to obtain?
Join us later today at Egenis for this talk by my amazing colleague Tyler Brunet (Exeter). 15:30-17:00 GMT. Link below:
www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai...
#AI
#Philsky
#philsci
Details | University of Exeter
www.exeter.ac.uk
February 10, 2025 at 9:57 AM
🚨TALK 🚨
Is AI Ethics futile? Why effective ethical interventions on AI are hard to obtain?
Join us later today at Egenis for this talk by my amazing colleague Tyler Brunet (Exeter). 15:30-17:00 GMT. Link below:
www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai...
#AI
#Philsky
#philsci
Is AI Ethics futile? Why effective ethical interventions on AI are hard to obtain?
Join us later today at Egenis for this talk by my amazing colleague Tyler Brunet (Exeter). 15:30-17:00 GMT. Link below:
www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai...
#AI
#Philsky
#philsci
Reposted by Tom Roberts
🚨JOB ALERT 🚨
Are you a social scientist (broadly construed) with expertise in race and science? We are offering a 3.5 years postdoctoral position at Egenis (University of Exeter). Applications due February 27!
Please share widely!
#STS
#philsky
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Are you a social scientist (broadly construed) with expertise in race and science? We are offering a 3.5 years postdoctoral position at Egenis (University of Exeter). Applications due February 27!
Please share widely!
#STS
#philsky
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Powered by MHR
jobs.exeter.ac.uk
February 6, 2025 at 4:14 PM
🚨JOB ALERT 🚨
Are you a social scientist (broadly construed) with expertise in race and science? We are offering a 3.5 years postdoctoral position at Egenis (University of Exeter). Applications due February 27!
Please share widely!
#STS
#philsky
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Are you a social scientist (broadly construed) with expertise in race and science? We are offering a 3.5 years postdoctoral position at Egenis (University of Exeter). Applications due February 27!
Please share widely!
#STS
#philsky
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Reposted by Tom Roberts
A petition in support of the School of English, Communication, and Philosophy at Cardiff, who are being threatened with job cuts that would be devastating for staff, students, and the university
We Can Make an Impact.
SAVE CARDIFF UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGLISH, COMMUNICATION AND PHILOSOPHY
chng.it
February 4, 2025 at 1:55 PM
A petition in support of the School of English, Communication, and Philosophy at Cardiff, who are being threatened with job cuts that would be devastating for staff, students, and the university
Reposted by Tom Roberts
Haggis, cheese, and mango-chutney toastie = second greatest chieftain of the puddin’ race.
January 28, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Haggis, cheese, and mango-chutney toastie = second greatest chieftain of the puddin’ race.
New article in the BJA!
(With special thanks to Lucy Osler, Joel Krueger, and Gareth Roberts)
academic.oup.com/bjaesthetics...
(With special thanks to Lucy Osler, Joel Krueger, and Gareth Roberts)
academic.oup.com/bjaesthetics...
Voice, Rhyme, and Aesthetic Injustice
Abstract. Some lines of poetry rhyme to certain readers and not to others because of how their words are pronounced in different accents. And because the a
academic.oup.com
January 22, 2025 at 5:13 PM
New article in the BJA!
(With special thanks to Lucy Osler, Joel Krueger, and Gareth Roberts)
academic.oup.com/bjaesthetics...
(With special thanks to Lucy Osler, Joel Krueger, and Gareth Roberts)
academic.oup.com/bjaesthetics...
Reposted by Tom Roberts
"Each of us, when we philosophise, become the means by which the Universe, after billions of years, wakes to itself, momentarily contemplating itself in doubt and amazement."
A Love Letter to Philosophy - Daily Nous
“Philosophical enquiry makes the entire planet better than it would otherwise be. It helps constitute the awesomeness of Earth. Philosophy needs no further excuse.” So writes Eric Schwitzgebel (UC Riv...
dailynous.com
January 21, 2025 at 3:13 PM
"Each of us, when we philosophise, become the means by which the Universe, after billions of years, wakes to itself, momentarily contemplating itself in doubt and amazement."