Prof David Charles

Oriel College

Research Interests

My main research interests are in Ancient Philosophy, where I am especially interested in Aristotle’s philosophy, and in Philosophy of Mind. I have written two books on Aristotle, one on his Philosophy of Action (London 1984) and one on his discussion of science and metaphysics (Aristotle on Meaning and Essence, Oxford 2000) and am currently engaged on a third on his Ethics. I have also written on issues concerning intention, explanation and the emotions in contemporary philosophy.

Explanation, Reduction and Realism, Oxford (co-edited with  K. Lennon).

Unity, Identity and Explanation  in Aristotle’s Metaphysics, Oxford (co-edited with T.Scaltsas andM.L. Gill)

Aristotle on Meaning and Essence, Oxford (Paperback 2002)

Aristotle’s Metaphysics Lambda: Symposium Aristotelicum, Oxford   (co-edited with M. Frede)

Essays on Wittgenstein in Honour of David Pears, Oxford, (co-edited with W.Child)

Definition in Greek Philosophy (editor), Oxford: forthcoming

1982/3

‘Aristotle: Ontology and Moral Reasoning’, Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy IV,  pp145-167

'Aristotle on Hypothetical Necessity and Irreducibility',  Pacific Philosophical. Quarterly, 69, pp. 1-53.

'Perfectionism in Aristotle's Political Theory: Reply to Martha Nussbaum', Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, VI, Supp. Vol: 185-206

‘Natural Kinds and Natural History’, in Biologie, Logique et Metaphysique, edd. D.Devereux and P.Pellegrin, Paris, pp. 145-167

‘Intention’ in Cause, Mind and Reality, Essays in Honour of C.B.Martin, Quarterly, 69, pp. 1-53.

‘Aristotle on Substance, Essence and Biological Kinds,’ Proceedings of the Boston Quarterly, 69, pp. 1-53.

'Supervenience, Composition and Physicalism' in  Explanation, Reduction and Quarterly, 69, pp. 1-53. 

'Aristotle on Names and their Signification', Companions to Ancient Thought 3, Quarterly, 69, pp. 1-53.

'Matter and Form: Unity, Persistence and Identity' in Unity, Identity and Quarterly, 69, pp. 1-53.

‘Aristotle and Modern Moral Realism':  Ancient and Modern Moral Realism, Quarterly, 69, pp. 1-53.

‘Aristotle and the Unity and Essence of Biological Kinds’, in Aristotelische. Quarterly, 69, pp. 1-53.

‘Method and Argument in the Study of Aristotle: A Critical Notice of The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle’, Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, XV, pp.231-257

‘Aristotle on Well-Being and Intellectual Contemplation’, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume, 74,  pp.205-223

‘Aristotle on Matter and Change: a study of Lambda 2' in Aristotle’s Metaphysics Lambda: Symposium Aristotelicum, Oxford, ed M. Frede and D.Charles, pp. 89-110

‘Wittgenstein’s Builders and Aristotle’s Craftsmen’, in Essays on Wittgenstein in        Honour of David Pears, Oxford, ed. D.Charles and T.W.Child, pp. 80-102.

‘Being and Essence in Contemporary Interpretations of Aristotle’ in Individuals, Essence, Identity, Dordrecht, ed. A.Bottani, M.Carrara and P. Giaretta, pp.109-128

‘Prime Matter and Elemental Change’ in Aristotle’s On Generation and   Corruption 1., Oxford, ed. F de Haas and J.Mansfeld, pp 151-169 

‘Emotion, Cognition and Action’ in Agency and Action, Cambridge, ed. J.Hyman H.Steward, pp. 105-136   

‘Definitions in the Meno’ in Socrates, 2400 Years After His Death, Athens, ed.  V.Karasmanis,  pp. 357-366  

‘Substancia, definicao e essencia’  in Sobre a Metafisica de Aristoteles, Sao Paolo, ed. M.Zingano, pp. 371- 413  

‘Aristotle’s Desire’ in Mind and Modality, Brill, ed V.Hirvonen, T.Holpaianen and M.Tuominen

‘Aristotle’s weak acrates: in what does her ignorance consist?', Essays on Ancient  Acrasia, Brill, edd. P.Destree and C.Bobonich  

'Quelques questions à propos de la potentialité (dunamis) et de l'actualité (energeia)' in Dunamis edd M.Crubellier, A.Jaulin, D.Lefebvre, P-M Morel, Paris 2008