Simon holds a PhD in Philosophy and is the co-founder of the Albert Camus Society. Over the past twenty years he has worked helping to develop public interest in philosophy, philosophical literature, and theatre. His areas of special interest include Camus, Nietzsche, existentialism, absurdism, and mythopoesis.
Education
PhD Philosophy — University of Southampton, 2024
MPhil Philosophy — Lampeter, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 2009
BA Philosophy — Lampeter, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 2003
Areas of Expertise
What Albert Camus Wrote About the Nauseating Reality of the Guillotine
Camus challenges the right of the state to choose who lives and dies.
Why ‘A Happy Death’ Was Albert Camus’s Most Shocking Novel
Camus completed a full draft of a novel with shocking content, but abandoned it to focus on The Stranger. This novel was A Happy Death.
Mark Fisher’s Capitalist Realism vs. Neoliberalism: What’s the Difference?
Mark Fisher makes strong claims about imagining alternatives to what he calls "Capitalist Realism," but can he defend them?
Camus’s Story of Humiliated Workers Who Cannot Express Their Feelings
Written during a time of personal crisis, "The Silent Men" explores the themes of narcissism, aging, and death.
Is There a Solution to the Problem of Moral Luck?
The problem of moral luck might mean we need a radical change in how we think about morality.
How Christopher Hill Turned the Academic World Upside Down With His Study of English Radical Movements
The English Civil War produced radical movements that challenged property, religion, and authority. What can these so-called “lunatic fringe” revolutionaries reveal about political transformation?
The 14th Century Philosopher That Challenged the Power of the Pope
The competition for power between the Church and the State means there cannot be peace. Marsilius of Padua thought the solution was to take all power from the Church.
Who Is Nietzsche’s ‘Sovereign Individual’?
The sovereign individual is Nietzsche’s mythological justification for human inequality.
The Dark Meaning Behind Camus’s Most Controversial Story
The most challenging of Camus’s short stories, ‘The Renegade,’ paints a picture of the violent inner turmoil of some thinkers on the Left.
Why Nietzsche Wanted His Works to Be Sung Rather Than Read
Nietzsche believed that ideas conceived while sitting down were not worthwhile; he wanted his books to be performed, not quietly read.
The Ancient Philosophy of Brutality in Euripides’ Cyclops
Is might always right, and is greed good? Euripides explores these questions in the world’s only extant complete satyr play.
Why Camus Disagreed With Sartre About Radical Human Freedom
Sartre believed human beings were responsible for who they become. For him, everyone has a free choice to be who they are. Camus disagreed.