Gayle Impey
Thesis
The role of empathy in moral motivation
Supervisors
Peter Goldie and Joel Smith
Research Interests
18th century sentimentalist philosophy, particularly David Hume and Adam Smith; moral philosophy and moral psychology; political philosophy; philosophy of mind. I have a more general interest in the philosophy of action and in moral and social epistemology, and in the philosophy of education.
Teaching Experience
Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality ('06/'07)
Critical Thinking ('07/'08)
Current Teaching
Ethics
Additional Information
I currently hold the Samuel Hall Studentship for Philosophy.
I presented a paper entitled ‘Can’t empathise, won’t empathise’ at the Emotions and Moral Motivation workshop held at Manchester in November 2007, which I helped to organise with Professor Peter Goldie and fellow PhD student, Chloë FitzGerald. The workshop involved presentations from graduates and staff from Manchester’s Philosophy Discipline Area and guests from the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland and Osnabrück in Germany.
I have chaired sessions at Open Minds, Manchester’s annual postgraduate conference in all areas of philosophy, and I chaired and assisted in the organisation of the 5th UK Kant Society Graduate Conference at Manchester in July 2008. I was the PhD Student Representative from September 2006 to January 2008.
I have been actively involved with the Widening Participation office at Manchester since my arrival here in 2006. WP aims to open up opportunities for higher learning among groups underrepresented in higher education. I have designed and facilitated workshops and co-led sessions for young people on citizenship and how philosophy and politics relate to ‘real life’.