Tim Dean
Resident Philosopher at The Ethics Centre | Author
Interviewer: Courtney Boag
Photo (right): Courtesy of The Ethics Centre
Cinematography: Stéphanie Austruy
1 October, 2024
“I don’t believe there’s any single moral perspective or ethical framework that is going to answer every question to perfect satisfaction. So we need to embrace that messy complexity, that ambiguity and we need to be open to that. And it’s uncomfortable and part of our nature is that we hate ambiguity, we hate uncertainty...How we can encourage people to really lean into complexity and messiness is key.”
Tim Dean
Dr Tim Dean is an Australian philosopher, author, and speaker with a passion for making complex ethical ideas accessible to the public. He is the Senior Philosopher at The Ethics Centre, where he develops and delivers programs to help individuals and organisations navigate moral challenges in a rapidly changing world. Tim holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of New South Wales, with a focus on ethics, evolution, and human behavior.
His acclaimed book, How We Became Human: And Why We Need to Change, explores the evolutionary roots of human morality and offers insights into how we can adapt our values to address contemporary issues such as polarisation, inequality, and environmental crises. Known for his engaging and thought-provoking style, Tim is a sought-after speaker on topics ranging from ethics in technology to the future of human cooperation.
In addition to his work at The Ethics Centre, Tim has written extensively for major publications, including The Guardian and The Sydney Morning Herald. He is committed to fostering meaningful conversations that empower people to think critically and act with integrity in their personal and professional lives.
Interested to learn more about Tim’s research? Follow his work here.
Be sure to read Tim’s book, ‘How we Became Human and Why we Need to Change’.
Check out Tim’s work at Philosophy 4 Life - where he delivers impactful and critical workshops in understanding applied ethics in schools and with corporate groups.
Don’t miss out on listening to Tim’s podcast with co-host Monty Badami, ‘The Meaning Of...’ here.
Follow Tim on LinkedIn via @timedean and X via @ockhamsbeard
Be sure to read Tim’s book, ‘How we Became Human and Why we Need to Change’.
Check out Tim’s work at Philosophy 4 Life - where he delivers impactful and critical workshops in understanding applied ethics in schools and with corporate groups.
Don’t miss out on listening to Tim’s podcast with co-host Monty Badami, ‘The Meaning Of...’ here.
Follow Tim on LinkedIn via @timedean and X via @ockhamsbeard