T Ryan Byerly

Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Sheffield

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T Ryan Byerly is a philosopher at the University of Sheffield in the UK. He is reviews editor for the European Journal for Philosophy of Religion, treasurer for the British Society for Philosophy of Religion, and a member of Sheffield’s Centre for Engaged Philosophy. His books include ​Putting Others First: The Christian Ideal of Others-Centeredness (2019); ​​Paradise Understood: New Philosophical Essays About Heaven (2017), co-edited with Eric Silverman; and Intellectual Dependability: A Virtue Theory of the Epistemic and Educational Ideal (2021).

Written by T Ryan Byerly

A couple in vintage attire driving a convertible, with the woman lighting the man’s cigarette. They appear to be enjoying a breezy day.
COMPASSION AND EMPATHY

Helping others might feel good, but is it really good for you?

There’s a popular idea that being altruistic is unequivocally good for all involved – the reality is more complicated

by T Ryan Byerly

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PERSONALITY

Is improving your personality a moral duty or a category confusion?

The distinction between fixed personality and willed character is murky. Could improving your personality be a moral duty?

by T Ryan Byerly

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NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Why awesome natural beauty drops the jaw and lifts the spirit

Experiencing awe in nature can transform our sense of connectedness to other people and help maintain a spiritual vitality

by T Ryan Byerly

Painting of a woman with reddish hair and flushed cheeks holding a white cloth to her mouth, with a soft, blurred background.
KNOWLEDGE AND REASON

How to know who’s trustworthy

Knotty problems call for sound advice. Use philosophy to find the intellectually dependable amid the frauds and egotists

by T Ryan Byerly