Wolfson College Cambridge: Dr Jon Phelan

Position Bye Fellow
School Arts & Humanities
Email jp555@cam.ac.uk

Jon works primarily in the philosophy of literature – a branch of aesthetics that asks philosophical questions about literary fiction. His work defends the importance of the literary arts through an examination of the benefits of the practice of close reading.

Jon was educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge; The Centre for Jewish-Christian Relations, and at the Open University, where his doctoral supervisors were Professor Sophie Grace Chappell and Professor Derek Matravers. He has taught Philosophy in schools, colleges and at university. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of The Iris Murdoch Society, The British Society of Aesthetics, and The Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain.

Recognitions & achievements

Member of The Iris Murdoch Society
Member of The British Society of Aesthetics
Member of The Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain

Jon’s research projects explore: what we learn from reading literary fiction and what we gain morally from reading literary fiction; the philosophy and fiction of Iris Murdoch; and a philosophical account of what is meant by ‘abuse’. He works on the literary cognitivism debate, which surrounds the claims that a reader gains cognitively from reading literary fiction and that this cognitive gain is relevant aesthetically. He focuses on the cognitive gain achieved from a close reading of texts; cashes out the cognitive gain in terms of ‘understanding’ rather than ‘knowledge’; and focuses on the literariness of literary fiction rather than its fictional status. His monograph, Literature and Understanding, was published by Routledge in 2020. Jon has developed an account of the morally educative power of literature based on the intellectual virtues accrued from close reading rather than on moral content. So, a reader who practices curiosity, carefulness, and creativity in their close reading of literature is well placed to be curious, careful, and creative in everyday moral discernment and decision-making making too. He is interested in the philosophy and fiction of Iris Murdoch and how her play with Platonic cave allusions relates to her moral philosophy. He has also developed a philosophical account of ‘abuse’, a prominent moral term today, which is informed by literary fictional examples.

What's on

Event Type (field_event_type)

A close-up of a purple allium flower with a spherical cluster of tiny blossoms on a tall stem, set against a softly blurred garden background.

Wolfson Bulb Trail

11/04/2026 at 10.00

Our new bulb trail allows you to enjoy our thoughtfully planted displays and explore our beautiful College Gardens at your own pace.

A vibrant abstract collage filled with layered cut-paper shapes, symbols, and text fragments in bright reds, oranges, blues, and purples, radiating outward from a glowing central area.

Art Exhibition: 'Epic Journeys'

11/04/2026 at 10.00

Visit Wolfson's latest exhibition 'Epic Journeys' featuring work by distinguished artist Hassan Aliyu.

An older woman in a red striped shirt and glasses stretches her arms out while standing on a sandy beach with waves in the background.

Lessons from WHO Non-Communicable Disease Initiative about Chronic Disease

21/04/2026 at 17.30

What links osteoporosis and heart disease? Dr Gordon Klein reveals surprising connections between two of ageing's biggest health challenges, and what they mean for prevention.