Brian Davies (philosopher)
Encyclopedia
Brian Evan Anthony Davies OP (b. 1951) is Professor of Philosophy
, Fordham University
(since 1995), and author of the classic, An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, now available in a third English edition and translated into five Asian and European languages.
(BA 1972) and undertook graduate studies at King's College London
(M.Th, 1973; Tutorial Assistant, 1974-76; Ph.D, 1976).
. Throughout those years he was Lecturer in Theology and Philosophy at Blackfriars, Oxford
. Davies was also Tutor in Theology, St Benet's Hall
and a member of the Faculty of Theology
(1983–95); Regent of Studies of the English Dominican Province (1988–95); University Research Lecturer (1993–95); and member of the Sub-Faculty of Philosophy (1994–95).
In 1994 Davies was appointed Regent of Blackfriars
and, as a Head of House, received the degree of Master of Arts by Special Decree. In 1995 he took up his current appointment at Fordham University
. He held Visiting Professorships at the Collegio Beda
, Rome (Spring 1987 and Spring 1988), Fordham University
(July-August 1987, July-August 1988, and Fall 1994), and Candler School of Theology
, Emory University
(Spring 1993).
He has also contributed:
Davies also edits the Outstanding Christian Thinkers series (Continuum: London and New York, 1989-2004), having overseen the publication of twenty-eight volumes, and of the Great Medieval Thinkers, published by Oxford University Press. He was Book Reviews Editor for New Blackfriars (1979-95) and a member of the editorial board for Religious Studies (2000-06). He is now Associate European Editor (since 1992) for the International Philosophical Quarterly.
As literary executor for the late Herbert McCabe
(died 2001), Davies edited and published five volumes of work that McCabe left at the time of his death: God Still Matters (Continuum: London and New York, 2002); God, Christ and Us (Continuum: London and New York, 2003); The Good Life: Ethics and the Pursuit of Happiness (Continuum: London and New York, 2005); Faith Within Reason (Continuum: London and New York, 2007); and On Aquinas (Continuum: London and New York, 2008).
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
(since 1995), and author of the classic, An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, now available in a third English edition and translated into five Asian and European languages.
Education
Brian Davies read Theology at the University of BristolUniversity of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
(BA 1972) and undertook graduate studies at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
(M.Th, 1973; Tutorial Assistant, 1974-76; Ph.D, 1976).
Teaching
He spent the period 1982-95 at the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. Throughout those years he was Lecturer in Theology and Philosophy at Blackfriars, Oxford
Blackfriars, Oxford
Blackfriars, Oxford houses three distinct institutions: the Priory of the Holy Spirit, the religious house of the friars, whose current prior is John O'Connor OP; Blackfriars Studium, the centre of Theological studies of the English Province of the Dominican Friars ; and Blackfriars...
. Davies was also Tutor in Theology, St Benet's Hall
St Benet's Hall, Oxford
St Benet's Hall is a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford. It is located at the northern end of St Giles' on its western side, close to the junction with Woodstock Road.-Composition and status:...
and a member of the Faculty of Theology
Theology Faculty of the University of Oxford
The Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford, co-ordinates the teaching of theology at the University of Oxford, England.The Theology Faculty Centre is at 34 St Giles' in central Oxford.- History :...
(1983–95); Regent of Studies of the English Dominican Province (1988–95); University Research Lecturer (1993–95); and member of the Sub-Faculty of Philosophy (1994–95).
In 1994 Davies was appointed Regent of Blackfriars
Blackfriars, Oxford
Blackfriars, Oxford houses three distinct institutions: the Priory of the Holy Spirit, the religious house of the friars, whose current prior is John O'Connor OP; Blackfriars Studium, the centre of Theological studies of the English Province of the Dominican Friars ; and Blackfriars...
and, as a Head of House, received the degree of Master of Arts by Special Decree. In 1995 he took up his current appointment at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
. He held Visiting Professorships at the Collegio Beda
Collegio Beda
Collegio Beda is united to the English College in Rome and intended for converted Anglican clergymen wishing to prepare for the priesthood. It was founded in 1852 by Pius IX; and increased under Leo XIII. It was named after the Anglo-Saxon monk and scholar the Venerable Bede. Cardinal Howard...
, Rome (Spring 1987 and Spring 1988), Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
(July-August 1987, July-August 1988, and Fall 1994), and Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology, Emory University, is one of 13 seminaries of the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1914, the school was named after Warren Akin Candler, a former President and Chancellor of Emory University and a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South...
, Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
(Spring 1993).
Writing
Some of Davies's publications include:- An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1982; revised edition, 1993; 3rd edition 2003; Korean translation, 1996; Romanian translation, 1996; Ukrainian translation, 1996; Hungarian translation, 1999; Polish translation 2006)
- Thinking About God (Geoffrey Chapman: London, 1985)
- The Thought of Thomas Aquinas (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1992)
- Aquinas (Continuum: London and New York, 2002)
- Aquinas: An Introduction (Continuum: London and New York, 2003)
- The Reality of God and the Problem of Evil (Continuum: London and New York, 2006)
He has also contributed:
- more than twenty chapters or articles to books
- more than seventy articles in scholarly journals including New BlackfriarsDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, The Downside ReviewDownside AbbeyThe Basilica of St Gregory the Great at Downside, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery and the Senior House of the English Benedictine Congregation. One of its main apostolates is a school for children aged nine to eighteen...
, The Clergy Review, Irish Theological Quarterly, The MonistThe MonistThe Monist: An International Quarterly Journal of General Philosophical Inquiry is an American academic journal in the field of philosophy. It was founded in October 1890 by Edward C. Hegeler, making it one of the longest-established journals in philosophy...
, Philosophy, Theology, Cogito, International Philosophical Quarterly, Sophia, Revue Internationale de Philosophie, and Think
- book reviews in Anglican Theological Review, Faith and Philosophy, Journal of Theological Studies, The Philosophical ReviewThe Philosophical ReviewThe Philosophical Review is a quarterly journal of philosophy edited by the faculty of the Sage School of Philosophy at Cornell University and published by Duke University Press . The journal publishes original work in all areas of analytic philosophy, but emphasizes material that is of general...
, Theology Today, and The Thomist
- numerous contributions in The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, The TabletThe TabletThe Tablet is a Catholic international weekly review published in London. Contributors to its pages have included Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Paul VI ....
, and the Times Literary Supplement.
Editing
Davies has edited:- Language, Meaning and God: Essays in honour of Herbert McCabe O.P. (Geoffrey Chapman: London, 1987)
- With G.R. Evans, Anselm of Canterbury: The Major Works (Oxford University Press: Oxford,1998)
- Philosophy of Religion: A Guide to the Subject (Geoffrey Chapman: London, 1998)
- Philosophy of Religion: A Guide and Anthology (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2000)
- The De Malo of Thomas Aquinas (tr. Richard Regan; ed., Introduction, and Notes Brian Davies) (Oxford University Press: New York and Oxford, 2001)
- Thomas Aquinas: Contemporary Philosophical Perspectives (Oxford University Press: New York and Oxford, 2002)
- With Brian LeftowBrian LeftowBrian Leftow is the Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion at Oriel College, Oxford, succeeding Richard Swinburne, who retired in 2002. Leftow's research interests include metaphysics, medieval philosophy, and philosophical theology. He is a graduate of Grove City College,...
, The Cambridge Companion to Anselm (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 2004) - Aquinas's “Summa Theologiae”: Critical Essays (Roman and Littlefield: Lanham, Boulder, New York, Toronto, Oxford, 2005)
- With Brian Leftow, Aquinas: “Summa Theologiae”, Questions on God (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge 2006)
Davies also edits the Outstanding Christian Thinkers series (Continuum: London and New York, 1989-2004), having overseen the publication of twenty-eight volumes, and of the Great Medieval Thinkers, published by Oxford University Press. He was Book Reviews Editor for New Blackfriars (1979-95) and a member of the editorial board for Religious Studies (2000-06). He is now Associate European Editor (since 1992) for the International Philosophical Quarterly.
As literary executor for the late Herbert McCabe
Herbert McCabe
Herbert McCabe was an English Dominican priest, theologian and philosopher, who was born in Middlesbrough in the North Riding of Yorkshire. After studying chemistry and philosophy at Manchester University, he joined the Dominicans in 1949, where under Victor White he began his life-long study of...
(died 2001), Davies edited and published five volumes of work that McCabe left at the time of his death: God Still Matters (Continuum: London and New York, 2002); God, Christ and Us (Continuum: London and New York, 2003); The Good Life: Ethics and the Pursuit of Happiness (Continuum: London and New York, 2005); Faith Within Reason (Continuum: London and New York, 2007); and On Aquinas (Continuum: London and New York, 2008).