About Research
Biography
Dr Richard Playford is a lecturer in religious studies and the programme lead for the BA (Hons) in theology, religion and ethics and the BA (Hons) in theology and religious studies at St Mary’s University. His research interests include ethics, bioethics, metaphysics and philosophy of religion.
Qualifications
PhD: It’s For Your Own Good: Natural Law and the Good Life at the University of Reading (2016). Submitted with viva voce examination on 22/03/2017.
Supervisors: David S. Oderberg and Philip Stratton-Lake (University of Reading). Examiners: Luke Elson (University of Reading) and Edward Harcourt (University of Oxford).
Masters: MA in Philosophy at the University of Birmingham (2013)
Bachelors: BA (Hons) in Philosophy with Ancient History at the University of Exeter (2012)
FRSA (2015)
Previous Employment
2017 - 2018 Lecturer at the WEA Reading Branch
2014 - 2017 Sessional Lecturer at the University of Reading
Research
Papers Published
Playford RC, Roberts T, Playford ED. (2014) ‘Deontological and utilitarian ethics: a brief introduction in the context of disorders of consciousness.’ Disability and Rehabilitation. Dec 8:1-6.
Playford, Richard C. (2018) ‘Book Review: Julius Rocca (ed.) Teleology In The Ancient World: Philosophical And Medical Approaches’ Ratio. Vol. 31, No. 2.
Playford, Richard C. & Playford, E. Diane (2018) ‘What am I? A philosophical account of personhood and its applications to people with brain injury’ Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2018.1456939
Playford, Richard C. (2018) ‘Elective abandonment: a male counterpart to abortion’ The New Bioethics Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 122-134. DOI: 10.1080/20502877.2018.1472853
Playford, Richard C. (2018) ‘No It Isn’t: A Response To Law On Evil Pleasure’ Ethic@ Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 1-12. DOI: 10.5007/1677-2954.2018v17n1p1
Invited Talks Presented
MANCEPT conference September 2015: Elective Abandonment: A Male Legal Equivalent to Abortion (for the ‘Parental rights in non-ideal circumstances’ workshop.)
Conferences and Talks Attended
Institute of Philosophy: Practical Reasoning Seminar: David Owens (Reading) Habitual Agency. Kings College London, Room 246, second floor, Senate House, WC1. 24 March 2014
The Edward Cadbury Lectures: God Over All. William Lane Craig. Hosted by the John Hick Centre for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Birmingham. 16 March - 20 March 2015
Centre for Philosophy of Religion at Heythrop College: New Models of Religious Understanding. Heythrop College, Kensington Square, London, W8 5HN. 13 June 2015
Other Professional Activities
Sept 2018 – Present: Member of the Centre for Bioethics and Emerging Technologies (CBET) at St Mary’s University.
Sept 2014 – August 2015: Postgraduate Research Student Representative for the philosophy department.
14th - 16th Sept 2016: BPPA Conference Organiser at the University of Reading. Total number of speakers: 34. Total funding raised: £4450. Keynote speakers: Brad Hooker, William MacAskill, David Papineau and Laurie Paul.
14th Sept 2016: Public debate organiser between William MacAskill and Brad Hooker on Effective Altruism.