Professor Jonathan Birch

Jonathan Birch is a Professor of Philosophy and Director of The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience within LSE’s Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method. His research mainly focuses on animal sentience, cognition and welfare, and the evolution of altruism and social behaviour.

He has published widely on various topics in major philosophical and scientific journals, including Nature Medicine, Current Biology, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, The American Naturalist, Biological Reviews, Nous, Philosophical Studies, Philosophical Quarterly, Philosophy of Science, and The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. Jonathan’s publications are available on PhilPapers and Google Scholar. For an introduction to his work on sentience, he recommends “Animal Sentience” (Philosophy Compass), and for his work on social evolution, “The Inclusive Fitness Controversy: Finding a Way Forward” (Royal Society Open Science).

His first book, The Philosophy of Social Evolution (Oxford University Press, 2017), explores the philosophical foundations of social evolution theory. His second book, The Edge of Sentience: Risk and Precaution in Humans, Other Animals, and AI (Oxford University Press, 2024), available open access, presents a precautionary framework for making ethically sound, evidence-based decisions despite uncertainty.

Jonathan was Principal Investigator for the Foundations of Animal Sentience (ASENT) project, which explores the debate over the nature of sentience and the criteria for attributing it to non-human animals. In 2021, he led the "Review of the Evidence of Sentience in Cephalopod Molluscs and Decapod Crustaceans", a report that informed the inclusion of species such as octopuses, crabs, and lobsters under the UK Government’s Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.

As inaugural Director of The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, Jonathan leads interdisciplinary research which brings together global thought leaders across philosophy, veterinary medicine, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, behavioural science, computer science, AI, economics, and law. The research aims to develop guidance for policy-makers, support effective interventions by NGOs in the animal advocacy sector, and develop best practices for ethical AI in relation to animals - ensuring that the needs of non-human animals are not overlooked.

Research Interests

• Animal sentience and welfare
• Philosophy of evolution and social behaviour
• Philosophy of cognitive and biological sciences
• Ethics of AI