David Owens is a British analytic philosopher whose work spans epistemology, philosophy of action, and normative theory. He is best known for his accounts of epistemic normativity and the nature of obligation, arguing that reasons for belief are not straightforwardly reducible to practical reasons. His book 'Reason Without Freedom' (2000) offers a sustained treatment of epistemic normativity, and 'Shaping the Normative Landscape' (2012) develops an influential account of how permissions and obligations are created through speech acts.
Developed an account of epistemic normativity in 'Reason Without Freedom' (2000)
Argued that testimony generates genuine epistemic justification transmissible through chains
Advanced a theory of normative powers — how we create obligations and permissions through speech acts — in 'Shaping the Normative Landscape' (2012)
Contributed to debates on the relationship between practical and theoretical rationality
Held positions at the University of Sheffield and King's College London
Dive Deeper
Explore Truth & Knowledge→