David Bather Woods
Profile
I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy. My research focuses on the 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, especially his philosophical pessimism and his moral and political philosophy. My latest book was selected as one of the by Five Books. It is available in Dutch translation and forthcoming in Chinese and Turkish.
I have taught a wide range of topics in philosophy, including the history of philosophy (esp. Schopenhauer and Nietzsche), philosophy of religion, ethics, aesthetics, and most recently the philosophy of evil.
I have responsibilities for admissions, outreach, and widening participation in the Department of Philosophy. Prospective students and their supporters, teachers, and school leaders are welcome to inquire with me about engaging with our department.
Contact
David dot Bather dot Woods at warwick dot ac dot uk
Office
Department of Philosophy
Social Sciences Building
神马福利影片
Coventry
CV4 7AL
Teaching
Current modules (2025/26)
- - Philosophy of Evil (Term 1)
- - Philosophy of Religion (Term 2)
Admin
- Admissions Tutor
- Outreach and Widening Participation Lead
Prizes
- Winner of a Warwick Award for Personal Tutoring Excellence 2024
- Winner of a Warwick Award for Teaching Excellence 2021
- Commended in the 神马福利影片 Kindness on Campus Awards 2021
Publications
Selected pre-prints are available on my
Books
- (University of Chicago Press, 2025)
- , co-edited with Timothy Stoll (Routledge, 2023)
Articles
- Mind, 135 (1), 2026: 1–23.
- British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 34 (1), 2026: 132–147.
- European Journal of Philosophy, 30 (3), 2022: 961–976.
- British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 27 (5), 2019: 959–978.
- Jahrbuch der Schopenhauer-Gesellschaft, 2017: 147–153.
Chapters
- 'Schopenhauer and the Frankfurt School' in The New Cambridge Companion to Schopenhauer, edited by Sandra Shapshay and Colin Marshall (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming)
- in , edited by David Bather Woods and Timothy Stoll (Routledge, 2023)
- in , edited by Anna Elsner and Tom Stern (Routledge, 2022)
- in , edited by Patrick Hassan (Routledge, 2021)
- in , edited by Sandra Shapshay (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018)
- in 2nd Ed., edited by Daniel Schubbe and Matthias Ko脽ler (J.B. Metzler Verlag, 2018)
Work in Progress
- 'The Self-Substantiation of Lou Andreas-Salom茅: 尝别产别苍蝉谤眉肠办产濒颈肠办 as a Retrospective Manifesto for Life' in The Philosophy of Lou Salom茅, edited by Kristin Gjesdal, Katharina Kraus, and Hilde Vinje (Routledge, forthcoming)
- 'Schopenhauer on Duties to Ourselves' in The Cambridge Critical Guide to Schopenhauer's The Two Fundamental Problems of Ethics, edited by Stephen Puryear (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming)
Public
- (IAI)
- 鈥樷�� (Psyche)
- (Psyche)
- (IAI)
- (Aeon)
- (Five Books)
- (Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, Teaching and Learning Resources)
Podcast/Radio
- 'Arthur Schopenhauer: The Life and Thought of Philosophy's Greatest Pessimist' (New Books Network)
- (The Philosopher's Zone, ABC National)
- (Philosophy Talk)
- (Sideways, BBC Radio 4)
- (Philosophy Bites)
- (The Forum)
- , and (Common Room Philosophy)
Praise for Arthur Schopenhauer: The Life and Thought of Philosophy's Greatest Pessimist
"[Bather Woods] has a talent for biographical narrative, and, as advertised, the book provides the life of Schopenhauer in a vivid and moving way, treating thoughtfully the tensions within the Schopenhauer family."
"In his portrayal of this famously prickly, private, and pessimistic man, [Bather Woods] presents a thinker committed to the daunting vocation of pondering the human situation, and he does so with compassion and an appreciation for the comic."
"Schopenhauer offers no easy remedies to a disease with no final cure, for the living at least, but Bather Woods successfully shows us if your eyes can adjust to his dark vision of the world, there is much to see: his insights into our condition show us a way we can carry on and make the best of it."
"Bather Woods鈥� book ... is an important one, and we are fortunate that in unfailingly lucid prose, he does such an excellent job of explaining Schopenhauer鈥檚 thought to the contemporary reader."
"The author successfully brings together a wide range of sources and presents them in a unified, readable form. In my view, this hybrid character is precisely what makes the book a distinctive contribution to Schopenhauer scholarship."
"David Bather Woods has produced an informative, well-written introduction to Schopenhauer's life and philosophy, recruiting equally friendly prose in this service."
