The Philosopher

John Tasioulas

The face

The background

Nationality:
Greek-Australian
Schools:
Oxford University, University of Melbourne, University College London, King's College London, Harvard University, University of Chicago Law School, Osgoode Hall Law School, Notre Dame Law School, Delft University of Technology

The synopsis

John Tasioulas is a Greek-Australian philosopher specializing in moral, legal, and political philosophy. Born in Wollongong, New South Wales, in 1964, he pursued his education at the University of Melbourne, earning undergraduate degrees in Philosophy and Law, and later obtained a D.Phil in Philosophy from Oxford University, with his thesis focusing on moral relativism under the supervision of Joseph Raz. Tasioulas has held significant academic roles, including lecturer at the University of Glasgow, reader at Oxford, Quain Professor of Jurisprudence at UCL, and various professorships at King's College London and the University of Oxford. He is also recognized for his work on the communicative theory of punishment, advocating for a balance between retributive justice and mercy. In human rights philosophy, he supports an orthodox understanding based on inherent human dignity and interests. Tasioulas has contributed to discussions on AI ethics, international law, and the philosophy of games. In November 2025, he resigned from his position as director of the Institute for Ethics in AI at Oxford amid harassment allegations, which he denies. He has also been noted as a supporter of Brexit.

The works