Renowned in classical and emerging fields of thought

Macquarie has world-leading expertise in philosophy, including European traditions and modern disciplines such as bioethics.

A distinctive feature of philosophy at Macquarie is our research focus on human agency, mind, and self and the ethical implications of social and technological changes.

Macquarie’s researchers at the forefront of these fields, with expertise in extended cognition, philosophy of mind and cognition, philosophy of the life sciences, moral responsibility and moral cognition, and applied ethics, including bioethics, medical ethics, and AI ethics.

Areas of specialisation

  • Applied ethics
  • History of philosophy
  • Medical ethics
  • Philosophy.

Learn more about our research strengths.

Research highlights

Our philosophy research helps shape industry and policy in practical ways. We have:

  • contributed to the clinical ethics working group that produced a manual for healthcare providers, Clinical Ethics Capacity Building Resource Manual (NHMRC, 2012–15)
  • chaired the NSW Ministry of Health Clinical Ethics Advisory Panel providing advice to the Chief Medical Ocer of NSW
  • contributed to the South East Sydney Local Health District Clinical Ethics Committee, an advisory committee for practitioners and executives
  • produced policy submissions for government – one on draft ethical guidelines on the use of assisted reproductive technology in clinical practice and research, and another by Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting to the Department of Health
  • contributed to the International Advisory Board of Deutsches Referenzzentrum für Ethik in den Biowissenschaften, the German Reference Centre for Ethics in the Biological Sciences.

Our studies tell the stories of our contribution and impact. Read more about about the impact of our interdisciplinary research projects.

A technician using a surgical machine

The ethics of surgical innovation

­Technological change is critical to improving health care. But innovation comes with potential costs. As surgeons ‘try something new’, often with the intent of improving an individual patient’s outcome, they run the risk of seriousl...

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Research news

Read more about the breakthroughs happening in the areas of research relating to philosophy and applied ethics.

COVID compliance

Our sense of shared identity could help explain why most Aussies followed COVID-19 restrictions

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AI-itegrated healthcare

A new study seeks to understand the role of dignity in machine-assisted medical treatment.

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New book upends thinking

This book looks at why some people have 'bad beliefs' despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

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Professor Wendy Rogers

Making surgery safer for patients through philosophical and ethical analysis of innovative surgery.

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In the CAVE podcast

In the CAVE ethics podcast explores the changing ethical questions we face in contemporary life.

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