Telephone number:	+31 (0)71 527 4120
E-Mail:	t.e.bates@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Faculty / Department:	Faculteit der Geesteswetenschappen, Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte
Office Address:	Witte Singel-complex Witte Singel 25/M. de Vrieshof 4 2311 BZ Leiden Room number 009B

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Research
In everyday usage, people tend to attribute general character traits to each other, based on what they believe to be distinctive behavioural patterns, and they explain behaviour in terms of these traits. But much recent philosophical work on character, following empirical studies of the subject, denies the existence of robust character traits. I am engaged in developing a response to these studies and the resulting debate, to explore whether we can defend a notion of character that is consistent with these emprical findings and yet remains useful for the purposes of moral education.