Neil Williams

Neil recently graduated with a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from Nottingham Trent University, UK. He is a philosopher by trade but prefers to take an interdisciplinary approach to his studies, drawing from literature, film and TV and psychology in his philosophical investigations.

His Master’s thesis focused on existential authenticity and he turned to the non-philosophers for inspiration, characterising Jack Kerouac’s spontaneous prose as a rare form of authentic expression. He is currently working on his PhD proposal which entitled ‘The Existential Virtues – Flourishing in The Age of Meaninglessness’ will undoubtedly borrow themes from counter-culture.

His current favourite beat writers are Jack Kerouac and Gary Snyder and his interests include travel writing, anti-materialism, deep ecology and haikus and he thinks that the principal concern of those of us who are enamoured by the beats is to preserve an authentic counter-culture in contemporary society.