Prof Jan Westerhoff

I read Philosophy at Trinity College, Cambridge and I hold doctorates in Philosophy (Cambridge) and Oriental Studies (SOAS). Before coming to LMH, I taught the Philosophy of Mathematics for the Faculty of Philosophy at Oxford, and was a Reader in Philosophy at the University of Durham.

Originally trained as a philosopher and orientialist, my research focuses on philosophical aspects of the religious traditions of ancient India. Much of my work concentrates on Buddhist thought (especially Madhyamaka) as preserved in Sanskrit and Tibetan sources, and I also have a lively interest in Classical Indian philosophy (particularly Nyāya). My research on Buddhist philosophy covers both theoretical (metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language) and normative aspects (ethics); I am also interested in the investigation of Buddhist meditative practice from the perspective of cognitive science and the philosophy of mind.

My undergraduate teaching covers the Study of Religion (Religion and Religions, The Nature of Religion), Buddhism (Buddhism I and II), and the Philosophy of Religion.

Courses

Theology and Religion

Theology and Oriental Studies

Philosophy and Theology