David Spurrett

I’m a naturalist philosopher of cognitive science and biology. My current research is about the evolution and operation of mechanisms of action selection, and the situated subversion of these mechanisms by other agents and technologies. This work divides into an ‘engines of hostility’ project on manipulation and exploitation, and a  ‘common currency’ project on evolution and action selection. The two projects are complementary because they’re both about agency – how agents make selections, and how other agents can interfere in that. Some papers that bring the two together are in the pipeline.

I work at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where I am professor of philosophy. My main hobbies are things I should have started much younger, including learning to play the piano, and studying Kenjutsu.

Picture: Blurry still from video of Katori beach training, November ’25.

I used to be on Twitter, now I’m on BlueSky.