I was the first Secretary of the British Wittgenstein Society, from October 2007 until November 2010, at which point I accepted membership of their Honorary Committee. I was a member of the Council of the Royal Institute of Philosophy from 2009 until 2017. I have served as external examiner for cohorts of undergraduate students at the University of Oxford and the University of Exeter, for MA cohorts at Oxford Brookes University, and for PhD or MLitt students at the Universities of Oxford, Manchester, Sheffield, Durham, Bristol, Düsseldorf, and King's College, London.
Professor John Preston

-
+44 (0) 118 378 7327
-
Professor
Areas of interest
- Professor Preston is qualified in artificial intelligence, as well as philosophy, and his main research interests are in the history of philosophy (especially Ludwig Wittgenstein, Ernst Mach, and associated late nineteenth and early-to-mid-twentieth-century philosophers and philosopher-scientists, such as Ludwig Boltzmann and Heinrich Hertz), the Vienna Circle (Logical Positivists and their Logical Empiricist successors), Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, Paul Feyerabend, philosophy of science, epistemology, and classical Chinese philosophy.
- He is the author of Feyerabend: Philosophy, Science and Society, Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: A Reader's Guide, and editor of Interpreting Mach – Critical Essays, Thought and Language, Views into the Chinese Room, Wittgenstein and Reason, as well as the third volume of Paul Feyerabend’s Philosophical Papers.
- See John Preston's personal page
Teaching
Undergraduate
- In my Chinese Philosophy module, we look at several of the ‘classical’ Chinese philosophers (Confucius, Mencius, Mozi, Xunzi, and Han Feizi) and themes from their works, including human nature, partiality and impartiality, the proper organisation of society, moral education, rituals, and the nature of heaven.
- In my other module, Worldviews in Western Philosophy, we look at fundamental questions about the concept of a worldview. We consider the history of that concept in philosophy and the natural sciences, the ways in which it was used by various twentieth century philosophers, and the reasons for which it was disavowed by others.
Websites/blogs
My Facebook page ‘Wittgenstein day-by-day’, which tracks the thoughts and activities of Ludwig Wittgenstein at exactly one hundred years distance, has been going since 2011.
Academic work outside the University
Publications
-
Preston, J.
ORCID: 0000-0002-3740-2308 (2022) Gestalt epistemology: from gestalt psychology to phenomenology in the work of Michael Polanyi. Philosophia Scientæ , 26 (3). pp. 233-254. ISSN: 1775-4283 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4000/philosophiascientiae.3668
- Preston, J. (2022) From gestalt psychology to phenomenology in the work of Michael Polanyi. Archives Henri-Poincare ISSN: 12812463
- Preston, J. (2022) The idea of a pseudo-problem in Mach, Hertz, and Boltzmann.. Journal for General Philosophy of Science ISSN: 0925-4560 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10838-021-09569-z
- Preston, J. , eds. (2021) Interpreting Ernst Mach: Critical Essays. Interpreting Cambridge University Press , Cambridge, UK. ISBN: 9781108564311 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781108564311
- Preston, J. (2021) Introduction: a new Mach for a new millennium. In: Preston, J. , (eds.) Interpreting Ernst Mach: Critical Essays. Interpreting Cambridge University Press , Cambridge. ISBN: 9781108474016
- Preston, J. (2021) Phenomenalism, or neutral monism, in Mach’s analysis of sensations?. In: Preston, J. , (eds.) Interpreting Ernst Mach: Critical Essays. Interpreting Cambridge University Press , Cambridge, UK. ISBN: 9781108474016
- Craddock, S. and Preston, J. (2020) Roles and representations of women in early Chinese philosophy: a survey. Frontiers of Philosophy in China , 15 (2). pp. 198-222. ISSN: 1673-355X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3868/s030-009-020-0012-1
- Preston, J. (2019) Mach, Wittgenstein, science and logic. In: Stadler, F. , (eds.) Ernst Mach - Life, Work, Influence. Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook Springer International Publishing (22). pp. 63-90. ISBN: 9783030043773 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04378-0_5
- Schroeder, S. and Preston, J. (2019) Explication, description and enlightenment. Analysis and Explication in 20th Century Philosophy. Logical Analysis and History of Philosophy , 22. Logical Analysis and History of Philosophy , 22 pp. 106-120.
- Preston, J. (2016) Wittgenstein, Hertz and Boltzmann. In: Glock, H. and Hyman, J. , (eds.) A companion to Wittgenstein. H-J.Glock & J.Hyman (eds.), The Blackwell Companion to Wittgenstein ISBN: 9781118641163 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781118884607.ch6
- Preston, J. (2016) The rise of Western rationalism: Paul Feyerabend’s story. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A , 57 pp. 79-86. ISSN: 0039-3681 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsa.2015.11.013
- Preston, J. (2015) Logical space and phase-space. Mind, language and action: proceedings of the 36th International Wittgenstein Symposium. Publications of the Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein society – New Series (N.S.) Mind, Language and Action: Proceedings of the 36th International Wittgenstein Symposium (22). pp. 35-44. ISBN: 9783110378795
- Preston, J. (2014) Positivist and post-positivist philosophy of science. In: Gardner, A. , Lake, M. , Sommer, U. , (eds.) The Oxford handbook of archaeological theory. Oxford handbook of archaeological theory ISBN: 9780199567942 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199567942.013.031
- Preston, J. (2012) What are computers (if they're not thinking things)?. In: Cooper, S. , Dawar, A. , Lowe, B. , (eds.) How the World Computes: Turing Centenary Conference and 8th Conference on Computability in Europe, CIE 2012, Cambridge UK June 2012 Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science , 7318. Springer-Verlag , Berlin and Heidelberg. pp. 609-615. ISBN: 9783642308697 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30870-3_61
- Preston, J. (2010) The extended mind, the concept of belief, and epistemic credit. In: Menary, R. , (eds.) The extended mind. MIT Press , Cambridge, USA. pp. 355-369. ISBN: 9780262014038
- Preston, J. (2009) Review: A W Carus, Carnap and twentieth century thought: explication as enlightenment. Cambridge University Press, 2007. The European Legacy , 14 (6). pp. 759-761. ISSN: 1470-1316 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10848770903259276
- Preston, J. (2009) Review: Bradley Monton, (Ed.) Images of empiricism: essays on science and stances with a reply from Bas Van Fraassen. Oxford University Press, 2007. The European Legacy , 14 (3). pp. 362-364. ISSN: 1470-1316 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10848770902931743
- Preston, J. (2008) Review: Marie McGinn, Elucidating the tractatus: Wittgenstein's early philosophy of logic & language. Clarendon Press, 2006. Philosophical Investigations , 31 (3). pp. 268-272. ISSN: 1467-9205 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9205.2008.00349.x
- Preston, J. (2008) Review: Andrew Brook and Kathleen Akins, Cognition and the brain: the philosophy and neuroscience movement. Cambridge University Press, 2005. Philosophical Books , 49 (1). pp. 68-71. ISSN: 1468-0149 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0149.2008.456_12.x
- Preston, J. (2008) Hertz, Wittgenstein and the instrumentalist turn in the philosophy of science. In: Wolfschmidt, G. , (eds.) Heinrich Hertz (1857-1894) and the development of communication: proceedings of the Symposium for History of Science. Norderstedt , Hamburg: Institute for History of Science. pp. 80-93. ISBN: 9783837031317
- Preston, J. (2008) Mach and Hertz's mechanics. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A , 39 (1). pp. 91-101. ISSN: 0039-3681 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsa.2007.11.007
- Preston, J. (2008) Hertz, Wittgenstein and philosophical method. Philosophical Investigations , 31 (1). pp. 48-67. ISSN: 1467-9205 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9205.2008.00333.x
- Preston, J. , eds. (2008) Wittgenstein and reason. Wiley-Blackwell , Oxford. pp 160. ISBN: 9781405180955
- Preston, J. (2008) Kuhn's the structure of scientific revolutions: a reader's guide. Reader's Guides Continuum , London. pp 126. ISBN: 9780826493750
- Preston, J. (2007) Review: James Marcum, Thomas Kuhn's revolution: an historical philosophy of science. Ratio , 20 (3). pp. 352-4. ISSN: 0034-0006 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9329.2007.00371.x
- Preston, J. (2007) Review: Christine Sypnowich (ed.), The egalitarian conscience: essays in honour of G. A. Cohen. The European Legacy , 12 (5). pp. 644-5. ISSN: 1470-1316 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10848770701443742
- Preston, J. (2007) Lutzen on Hertz's mechanics. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A , 38 (1). pp. 260-7. ISSN: 0039-3681 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsa.2006.12.017
- Preston, J. (2006) Review: Alfred Nordmann, Wittgenstein's Tractatus: an introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2005. The European Legacy , 11 (6). pp. 706. ISSN: 1470-1316 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10848770600919545
- Preston, J. (2006) Review: Duncan Richter, Historical dictionary of Wittgenstein's philosophy. The European Legacy , 11 (4). pp. 467-468. ISSN: 1470-1316 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10848770600766359
- Preston, J. (2006) Janik on Hertz and the early Wittgenstein. Grazer Philosophische Studien , 73 pp. 83-95. ISSN: 0165-9227
- Preston, J. (2006) Harre on Hertz and the Tractatus. Philosophy , 81 (2). pp. 357-364. ISSN: 1469-817X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0031819106316087
- Preston, J. (2006) Is your mobile part of your mind?. In: Nyiri, K. , (eds.) Mobile understanding: the epistemology of ubiquitous communication. Passagen Verlag , Vienna. pp. 67-77. ISBN: 9783851657425
- Preston, J. , eds. (2006) Knowledge, science and relativisim. Philosophical Papers , 3. Cambridge University Press , Cambridge. pp 244. ISBN: 9780521641296
- Preston, J. (2004) Bird, Kuhn and positivism. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A , 35 (2). pp. 327-335. ISSN: 0039-3681 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsa.2003.05.001
- Preston, J. (2003) Review of 'Thomas Kuhn: a philosophical history for our times' by S. Fuller. The European Legacy , 8 (6). pp. 833-834. ISSN: 1470-1316
- Preston, J. (2003) Kuhn, instrumentalism, and the progress of science. Social Epistemology , 17 (2-3). pp. 259-265. ISSN: 1464-5297 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0269172032000144261
- Preston, J. (2003) Review of 'Kuhn: philosopher of scientific revolution' by W. Sharrock and R. Read. Philosophical Books , 44 pp. 292-493. ISSN: 1468-0149