Professor Rachel Cooper
Professor of History and Philosophy of ScienceProfile
Career details
2018- Professor of History and Philosophy of Science, Lancaster University
2007- 2018. Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Lancaster University.
2003 - 2007. Lecturer in Philosophy, Lancaster University.
2000 - 2003. Lecturer in Philosophy, Bradford University.
1999 - 2000. Temporary Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Bristol.
Research Overview
My research training is in History and Philosophy of Science and I currently work mainly on topics in the philosophy of medicine, particularly philosophy of psychiatry. My recent research has focussed on conceptual issues related to the classification of psychopathology, and on concepts of health and disorder. Much of my research integrates work in the history of psychiatry with philosophy of science, and I also aim to engage with the live concerns of researchers in mental health. As such, I have written for a wide range of audiences, and publish in journals across philosophy, history of psychiatry, psychiatry and clinical psychology.
Research Interests
To date, I have published three monographs: Diagnosing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Karnac, 2014), Psychiatry and the Philosophy of Science (Routledge, 2007), and Classifying Madness (Springer, 2005). I am currently completing a monograph on the concepts of health and disorder.
Together with my PhD students, I organise regular reading groups and workshops on the philosophy of mental health at Lancaster. I'd be very happy to hear from potential PhD students seeking supervision in the philosophy of psychiatry, or philosophy of medicine more broadly.
Professional Role
President of the British Society for the Philosophy of Science 2020-21. Hon Secretary 2007-2010. Committee member 2004-7.
Member of the Advisory Group for the Philosophy Subject Benchmark Statement, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education 2024-25
Royal Institute of Philosophy - Director of the Lancaster Local Partner since 2005. Organising public lectures and workshops in Lancaster.
Aristotelian Society - Committee member 2005-8.
Research Grants
From Jan 2013 - Dec 2013 I was awarded a British Academy mid-career research fellowship for work on a project titled "Evaluating the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders".
In 2008 I was awarded an AHRC Research Network Grant (along with Havi Carel, UWE) for a project examining Concepts of Health, Illness and Disease.
PhD Supervision Interests
Philosophy of science and medicine.
Especially philosophy of psychiatry; the nature of disease; metaphysics and epistemology of medicine; classification in science.
Selected Publications
Diagnosing the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
Cooper, R. 2014 London : Karnac Books. 79 p. ISBN: 9781855758254.
Book
Psychiatry and Philosophy of Science.
Cooper, R.V. 2007 Acumen. 192 p. ISBN: 978-1-84465-108-5.
Book
Classifying madness: A philosophical examination of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.
Cooper, R.V. 2005 Springer. 172 p. ISBN: 1-4020-3344-3.
Book
All Publications
Beyond Imagination (E3)
01/08/2019 → 31/03/2023
Research
Neo-Kantianism as an alternative conceptual basis for psychiatry
01/03/2018 → 01/09/2021
Research
Evaluating the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - BA Mid-Career Fellowship
01/01/2013 → 31/12/2013
Research
The Creative Exchange
09/01/2012 → 30/06/2017
Research
Vices and disorders workshop
13/03/2009 → 13/03/2009
Research
The concepts of health, illness and disease
05/01/2009 → 04/01/2011
Research
Philosophy of Psychiatry Work-in-Progress Workshop 2025
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Royal Institute of Philosophy Public Talk
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Royal Institute of Philosophy public lecture
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
How can philosophy bolster mental health? Reflections from a community support group
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Philosophy of psychiatry work-in-progress day
Participation in workshop, seminar, course