Professor Ben Colburn

  • Professor of Political Philosophy (Philosophy)
  • Elected Academic Staff member on Court (Academic Services) (Academic Services)

telephone: 0141 330 4277
email: Ben.Colburn@glasgow.ac.uk

Room 305, 69 Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844

Research interests

Ben Colburn is Professor of Political Philosophy. He has worked at Glasgow since 2010, and was Head of Philosophy from 2017 to 2020. Before arriving in Glasgow he studied and worked in Cambridge, receiving his PhD in 2008, and holding a research fellowship at Corpus Christi College from 2008 to 2010.

His main research interests are in political philosophy and ethics, with a particular interest in the nature and value of autonomy and its importance in liberal political philosophy. He is currently writing on various questions in this area, and also some topics in the theory of responsibility, including coercion, vicarious responsibility, and the role of responsibility in the autonomous life.

Ben has a further interest in exploring how foundational philosophical ideas (like autonomy and responsibility) can be put to use in policy and practice. He has a number of ongoing collaborative research projects along these lines, including work on refugee education, on end of life care, and on architecture and urban design.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2008
Number of items: 30.

2025

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2025) Palliative care-based arguments against assisted dying. Bioethics, 39(2), pp. 187-194. (doi: 10.1111/bioe.13352) (PMID:39360468) (PMCID:PMC11754995)

2024

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Cholbi, Michael, Gill, Michael, Millum, Joseph and Pettigrove, Glen ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3752-0299 (2024) Palliative Care and Assisted Dying Laws. Other. Philosophers' Consortium on Assisted Dying.

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2024) Moral Blackmail: Coercion, Responsibility, and Global Justice. Series: Routledge focus on philosophy. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY. ISBN 9781032195254 (doi: 10.4324/9781003259619)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Macpherson, Fiona ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4950-3309, Brown, Derek ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5765-2443, Fearnley, Laura, Hodgson, Calum and McDonnell, Neil ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7279-5277 (2024) Policy and Practice Recommendations for Augmented and Mixed Reality. Documentation. University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.326686).

2023

Millum, Joseph, Cholbi, Michael, Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Gill, Michael and Pettigrove, Glen ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3752-0299 (2023) Assisted dying in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand: Lessons for Scotland. Other. Philosophers' Consortium on Assisted Dying.

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2023) Dramatic vignettes in moral inquiry. Social Analysis, 67(3), pp. 66-74. (doi: 10.3167/sa.2023.670305)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 and Johnston, Bridget ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4051-3436 (2023) Palliative sedation: autonomy, suffering, and euthanasia. Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care, 17(3), pp. 214-218. (doi: 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000665) (PMID:37428181)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (Ed.) (2023) The Routledge Handbook of Autonomy. Routledge: Abingdon. ISBN 9780367258207

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2023) The Self. In: Elsner, Anna and Stern, Thomas (eds.) The Proustian Mind. Routledge: Abingdon, pp. 93-106. ISBN 9780367357627

2022

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2022) Disability-based arguments against assisted dying laws. Bioethics, 36(6), pp. 680-686. (doi: 10.1111/bioe.13036) (PMID:35389513) (PMCID:PMC9322678)

2021

Clossick, Jane and Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2021) Design precepts for autonomy: a case study of Kelvin Hall, Glasgow. In: Lewis, Penny, Holm, Lorens and Costa Santos, Sandra (eds.) Architecture and Collective Life. Routledge: London. ISBN 9780367633905 (doi: 10.4324/9781003118985-22)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2021) Policy Briefing: Disability and Assisted Dying Laws. Other. University of Glasgow: Policy Scotland.

2020

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2020) Autonomy, voluntariness, and assisted dying. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(5), pp. 316-319. (doi: 10.1136/medethics-2019-105720) (PMID:31719156)

2018

Karyotis, Georgios ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8583-8176, Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Doyle, Lesley ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3521-6456, Hermannsson, Kristinn ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9957-3914, Mulvey, Gareth ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9132-1672 and Skleparis, Dimitris ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6302-1277 (2018) Building a New Life in Britain: The Skills, Experiences and Aspirations of Young Syrian Refugees. Project Report. Policy Scotland, Glasgow.

2017

Clark, David ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5700-4916, Inbadas, Hamilton ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6149-9306, Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Forrest, Catriona ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3010-9088, Richards, Naomi ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3029-5132, Whitelaw, Sandy ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2486-2508 and Zaman, Shahaduz (2017) Interventions at the end of life – a taxonomy for ‘overlapping consensus’. Wellcome Open Research, 2, 7. (doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.10722.1) (PMID:28261674) (PMCID:PMC5336190)

2016

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 and Lazenby, Hugh (2016) Hypothetical insurance and higher education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 50(4), pp. 587-604. (doi: 10.1111/1467-9752.12163)

2015

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2015) Authenticity and the third-person perspective. In: Levey, GeoffreyBrahm (ed.) Authenticity, Autonomy and Multiculturalism. Series: Routledge studies in social and political thought. Routledge: New York. ISBN 9781138845213

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (Ed.) (2015) Methods in Ethics: The Virtual Issue of the Aristotelian Society 3. Series: Virtual Issue. The Aristotelian Society.

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2015) Methods in ethics: Introduction. In: Methods in Ethics: The Virtual Issue of the Aristotelian Society 3. Series: Virtual Issue. The Aristotelian Society, pp. 19-23.

2014

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2014) Disadvantage, Autononomy, and the Continuity Test. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 31(3), pp. 254-270. (doi: 10.1111/japp.12060)

2013

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2013) Autonomy and end of life decisions: a paradox. In: Räikkä, J. and Varelius, J. (eds.) Adaptation and Autonomy: Adaptive Preferences in Enhancing and Ending Life. Series: Studies in applied philosophy, epistemology and rational ethics (10). Springer: Berlin, Germany, pp. 69-80. ISBN 9783642383755 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-38376-2_5)

2012

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2012) Responsibility and school choice in education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 46(2), pp. 207-222. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9752.2012.00848.x)

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2012) Autonomy-minded anti-perfectionism: novel, intuitive, and sound. Journal of Philosophical Research, 37, pp. 233-241. (doi: 10.5840/jpr20123711)

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2012) In defence of comprehensive liberalism. Philosophy and Public Issues, 2, pp. 17-29.

2011

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2011) Autonomy and adaptive preferences. Utilitas, 23(1), pp. 52-71. (doi: 10.1017/S0953820810000440)

2010

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2010) Anti-Perfectionisms and autonomy. Analysis, 70(2), pp. 247-256. (doi: 10.1093/analys/anp171)

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2010) Autonomy and Liberalism. Series: Routledge studies in contemporary philosophy, 19. Routledge. ISBN 9780415875967

2008

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2008) Forbidden ways of life. Philosophical Quarterly, 58(233), pp. 618-629. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9213.2007.531.x)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2008) Debate: The Concept of Voluntariness. Journal of Political Philosophy, 16(1), pp. 101-111. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2007.00272.x)

Kramer, M., Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Hatzistavrou, A. and Grant, C. (Eds.) (2008) The legacy of H.L.A. Hart: legal, political, and moral philosophy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199542895

This list was generated on Sun Sep 7 00:28:31 2025 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Books | Book Sections | Edited Books | Research Reports or Papers
Number of items: 30.

Articles

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2025) Palliative care-based arguments against assisted dying. Bioethics, 39(2), pp. 187-194. (doi: 10.1111/bioe.13352) (PMID:39360468) (PMCID:PMC11754995)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2023) Dramatic vignettes in moral inquiry. Social Analysis, 67(3), pp. 66-74. (doi: 10.3167/sa.2023.670305)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 and Johnston, Bridget ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4051-3436 (2023) Palliative sedation: autonomy, suffering, and euthanasia. Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care, 17(3), pp. 214-218. (doi: 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000665) (PMID:37428181)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2022) Disability-based arguments against assisted dying laws. Bioethics, 36(6), pp. 680-686. (doi: 10.1111/bioe.13036) (PMID:35389513) (PMCID:PMC9322678)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2020) Autonomy, voluntariness, and assisted dying. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(5), pp. 316-319. (doi: 10.1136/medethics-2019-105720) (PMID:31719156)

Clark, David ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5700-4916, Inbadas, Hamilton ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6149-9306, Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Forrest, Catriona ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3010-9088, Richards, Naomi ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3029-5132, Whitelaw, Sandy ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2486-2508 and Zaman, Shahaduz (2017) Interventions at the end of life – a taxonomy for ‘overlapping consensus’. Wellcome Open Research, 2, 7. (doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.10722.1) (PMID:28261674) (PMCID:PMC5336190)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 and Lazenby, Hugh (2016) Hypothetical insurance and higher education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 50(4), pp. 587-604. (doi: 10.1111/1467-9752.12163)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2014) Disadvantage, Autononomy, and the Continuity Test. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 31(3), pp. 254-270. (doi: 10.1111/japp.12060)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2012) Responsibility and school choice in education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 46(2), pp. 207-222. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9752.2012.00848.x)

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2012) Autonomy-minded anti-perfectionism: novel, intuitive, and sound. Journal of Philosophical Research, 37, pp. 233-241. (doi: 10.5840/jpr20123711)

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2012) In defence of comprehensive liberalism. Philosophy and Public Issues, 2, pp. 17-29.

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2011) Autonomy and adaptive preferences. Utilitas, 23(1), pp. 52-71. (doi: 10.1017/S0953820810000440)

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2010) Anti-Perfectionisms and autonomy. Analysis, 70(2), pp. 247-256. (doi: 10.1093/analys/anp171)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2008) Forbidden ways of life. Philosophical Quarterly, 58(233), pp. 618-629. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9213.2007.531.x)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2008) Debate: The Concept of Voluntariness. Journal of Political Philosophy, 16(1), pp. 101-111. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2007.00272.x)

Books

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2024) Moral Blackmail: Coercion, Responsibility, and Global Justice. Series: Routledge focus on philosophy. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY. ISBN 9781032195254 (doi: 10.4324/9781003259619)

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2010) Autonomy and Liberalism. Series: Routledge studies in contemporary philosophy, 19. Routledge. ISBN 9780415875967

Book Sections

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2023) The Self. In: Elsner, Anna and Stern, Thomas (eds.) The Proustian Mind. Routledge: Abingdon, pp. 93-106. ISBN 9780367357627

Clossick, Jane and Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2021) Design precepts for autonomy: a case study of Kelvin Hall, Glasgow. In: Lewis, Penny, Holm, Lorens and Costa Santos, Sandra (eds.) Architecture and Collective Life. Routledge: London. ISBN 9780367633905 (doi: 10.4324/9781003118985-22)

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2015) Authenticity and the third-person perspective. In: Levey, GeoffreyBrahm (ed.) Authenticity, Autonomy and Multiculturalism. Series: Routledge studies in social and political thought. Routledge: New York. ISBN 9781138845213

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2015) Methods in ethics: Introduction. In: Methods in Ethics: The Virtual Issue of the Aristotelian Society 3. Series: Virtual Issue. The Aristotelian Society, pp. 19-23.

Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2013) Autonomy and end of life decisions: a paradox. In: Räikkä, J. and Varelius, J. (eds.) Adaptation and Autonomy: Adaptive Preferences in Enhancing and Ending Life. Series: Studies in applied philosophy, epistemology and rational ethics (10). Springer: Berlin, Germany, pp. 69-80. ISBN 9783642383755 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-38376-2_5)

Edited Books

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (Ed.) (2023) The Routledge Handbook of Autonomy. Routledge: Abingdon. ISBN 9780367258207

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (Ed.) (2015) Methods in Ethics: The Virtual Issue of the Aristotelian Society 3. Series: Virtual Issue. The Aristotelian Society.

Kramer, M., Colburn, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Hatzistavrou, A. and Grant, C. (Eds.) (2008) The legacy of H.L.A. Hart: legal, political, and moral philosophy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199542895

Research Reports or Papers

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Cholbi, Michael, Gill, Michael, Millum, Joseph and Pettigrove, Glen ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3752-0299 (2024) Palliative Care and Assisted Dying Laws. Other. Philosophers' Consortium on Assisted Dying.

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Macpherson, Fiona ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4950-3309, Brown, Derek ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5765-2443, Fearnley, Laura, Hodgson, Calum and McDonnell, Neil ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7279-5277 (2024) Policy and Practice Recommendations for Augmented and Mixed Reality. Documentation. University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.326686).

Millum, Joseph, Cholbi, Michael, Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Gill, Michael and Pettigrove, Glen ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3752-0299 (2023) Assisted dying in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand: Lessons for Scotland. Other. Philosophers' Consortium on Assisted Dying.

Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844 (2021) Policy Briefing: Disability and Assisted Dying Laws. Other. University of Glasgow: Policy Scotland.

Karyotis, Georgios ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8583-8176, Colburn, Ben ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-1844, Doyle, Lesley ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3521-6456, Hermannsson, Kristinn ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9957-3914, Mulvey, Gareth ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9132-1672 and Skleparis, Dimitris ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6302-1277 (2018) Building a New Life in Britain: The Skills, Experiences and Aspirations of Young Syrian Refugees. Project Report. Policy Scotland, Glasgow.

This list was generated on Sun Sep 7 00:28:31 2025 BST.

Supervision

Ben has supervised students working within political philosophy, ethics, and nearby fields. Specific topics have included neutrality, the philosophy of education, egalitarianism, multiculturalism, political economy, decision theory, and applied ethics.

He is happy to supervise doctoral work in most areas of political philosophy, and in many areas of ethics. Prospective students should drop him a line.

Current PhD students:

  • MacDougall, Graham
    An Epistemic Theory of State Duties and Political Legitimacy
  • Gopal, William
    Poiesis and Virtual Epistemology: towards the virtuous design and use of digital technologies for epistemic purposes

Completed PhD students:

  • Carole Baillie (2015) Revealing the Multiculturalist's Illusion: A Liberal Critique
  • James Humphries (2016) Authority, Autonomy and Anarchy
  • Catherine Robb (2017) The Nature and Value of Talent
  • Patrick Kaczmarek (2017) A Fairness Based Astronomical Waste Argument
  • Frodo Podschwadek (2018) Rawlsian Liberalism and Public Education
  • Daniel Abrahams (2020) A philosophical approach to satire and humour in social context.
  • Ewan Burns (2020) Conservatism: towards a traditionalist moral and political epistemology
  • Philipp Dapprich (2020) The philosophical basis of a socialist planned economy
  • Maria Pia Mendez (2020) Self-authorship in the political sphere: Collective self-government and autonomy
  • Luke Armstrong (2021) Autonomy in Political Liberalism
  • Imants Latkovskis (2021) Capabilities, Autonomy, and Education: a comprehensive anti-perfectionist capability approach to justice
  • Sorley Stollard (2024) The Concept of Ownership

Teaching

Ben teaches courses in ethics, political philosophy, and the history of philosophy. In 2025-26 he is teaching Doing Philosophy and Political Philosophy (for third years) and Liberalism (for fourth years). He is also supervising dissertations in both semesters.

Additional information

Ben is Secretary of the Analysis Trust, and a trustee of The Royal Institute of Philosophy. He is a member of the editorial boards of The Philosophical Quarterly and Think. From 2025-2029 he is an elected academic staff member on the University of Glasgow Court.


Ben Colburn

Professor Ben Colburn on Twitter