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Arif Ahmed (philosopher)

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Arif Ahmed
Ahmed in 2013
Born
Arif Mohuiddin Ahmed

(1974-03-18) 18 March 1974 (age 51)
NationalityBritish
Academic background
Alma materSt Anne's College, Oxford
University of Sussex
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Academic work
DisciplinePhilosopher
Sub-discipline

Arif Mohuiddin Ahmed (born 18 March 1974) is an English philosopher and academic, who is the Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom of the Office for Students, following his appointment in June 2023.[1] Prior to this, Ahmed was a philosopher at the University of Cambridge.

Biography

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Ahmed was born on 18 March 1974 in Taunton, Somerset, England.[2][3] He was educated at Bishop's Hull Primary School and Queen's College, an independent school in Taunton.[3] He studied mathematics at St Anne's College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1995.[4] He then changed direction and studied for a Master of Arts (MA) in philosophy at the University of Sussex, graduating in 1996.[3][5] Next, he undertook a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in philosophy at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge,[4][6] which he completed in 2001.[5]

In 2000, he joined Girton College, Cambridge, as a college teaching officer.[5][7] He was elected a fellow of Girton in 2004.[5] He became a fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in 2015.[6] The University of Cambridge promoted him to reader in philosophy in 2016.[8][9] He was made Nicholas Sallnow-Smith College Lecturer by his college in 2019.[10] The university appointed him Professor of Philosophy in 2022.[11] His research interests include decision theory and the philosophy of religion, from an atheist and libertarian point of view.[6]

At Cambridge he was an advocate for the protection of freedom of speech. Ahmed was part of a network of academics associated with Peter Thiel and the online magazine Quillette originating around 2017 and centred around the university's Faculty of Divinity.[12] One of the group's first initiatives[13] was to invite Canadian psychologist and social media influencer Jordan Peterson for a visiting fellowship at the university. The university administration intervened to rescind Peterson's invitation, although Peterson eventually did visit Cambridge, which Ahmed hailed as an "important victory."[14][15][16][17] In 2020, Ahmed also led opposition to the University's proposed amendments to its freedom of speech policy, ultimately concluding with the rejection of the amendments.[18][19] He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to education.[20]

In late 2022, the Minister for Women and Equalities, and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch MP appointed Ahmed as new commissioner to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Board.[21] He took up the post on 1 January 2023 for a four-year term.[22] He left the EHRC after being appointed Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom at the Office for Students (OfS) in June 2023.[1][23]

Books

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Ahmed is the author of the books Saul Kripke (Continuum Books, 2007), which analyses the philosophy of Saul Kripke,[24] and Evidence, Decision and Causality (Cambridge University Press, 2014), which defends evidential decision theory and critiques causal decision theory.[25] Ahmed is also the editor of both Wittgenstein's Philosophical investigations: A critical guide (Cambridge University Press, 2010)[26] and Newcomb's Problem (Cambridge University Press, 2018).[27]

Personal life

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Ahmed's parents migrated from India to the United Kingdom in the 1970s.[28] His father worked as a psychiatrist and his mother as a nurse.[28] He became an atheist as a teenager, having been raised a Muslim.[28] He has been described as a "new atheist".[29]

Ahmed's partner is Frisbee Sheffield, a classicist specialising in ancient philosophy.[28][30] Together they have three children.[28]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Office for Students announces its first Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom". Office for Students. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Ahmed, Dr Arif Mohiuddin, (born 18 March 1974), Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom, Office for Students, since 2023". Who's Who 2025. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Hill, Phil (5 June 2023). "Former Taunton child prodigy appointed universities' 'free speech tsar'". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Networks of evidence and expertise for public policy - Dr Arif Ahmed". Centre for Science and Policy. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d "CV Arif Ahmed, Faculty of Philosophy, Cambridge CB3 9DA". PhilPapers. The PhilPapers Foundation. 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Professor Arif Ahmed". Gonville & Caius. University of Cambridge. 2022. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Cambridge University Reporter Special: GIRTON COLLEGE". www.admin.cam.ac.uk. 2004. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  8. ^ "Arif Ahmed". Cambridge Faculty of Philosophy. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Promotions for Caius Fellows". Gonville & Caius. University of Cambridge. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Investing in teaching". Once a Caian. No. 19. 2019.
  11. ^ "Prof Arif Ahmed appointed as OfS Freedom of Speech Director". www.cam.ac.uk. University of Cambridge. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  12. ^ Ahmed, Nafeez (2024). Alt Reich: The Network War to Destroy the West from Within. London: Byline Books. p. 262. ISBN 9781916754140.
  13. ^ Ahmed 2024, p. 261.
  14. ^ Quinn, Ben (10 December 2020). "Cambridge University urged to re-invite rightwing academic Jordan Peterson". The Guardian.
  15. ^ Whitworth, Damian (5 December 2020). "The Cambridge professor fighting 'academic McCarthyism': Freedom of speech is fragile, Arif Ahmed tells Damian Whitworth". The Times.
  16. ^ Turner, Camilla (9 December 2020). "Cambridge University dons win free speech row, defeat new 'authoritarian' rules".
  17. ^ "Jordan Peterson heals old wounds with Cambridge return". Unherd News. 24 November 2021.
  18. ^ Quinn, Ben (9 December 2020). "Cambridge University rejects proposal it be 'respectful' of all views". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Cambridge University votes to safeguard free speech". BBC News. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  20. ^ "No. 63377". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2021. p. B15.
  21. ^ "New EHRC commissioners appointed". 4 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Arif Ahmed MBE". www.equalityhumanrights.com. Equality and Human Rights Commission. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  23. ^ Freeman, Rob (1 June 2023). "University freedom of speech champion says 'democracy at stake'". The Independent. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  24. ^ Reviews of Saul Kripke: Anton Petrenko, Phil. in Rev., [1], [2]
  25. ^ Reviews of Evidence, Decision and Causality: James M. Joyce, J. Phil., doi:10.5840/jphil2016113413; H. Orri Stefánsson, Phil. of Sci., doi:10.1086/684183; Paul Weirich, Notre Dame Phil. Rev., [3]
  26. ^ Reviews of Wittgenstein's Philosophical investigations: David Macey, Phil. Rev., [4]; George Lazaroiu, Linguistic and Philosophical Investigations, [5].
  27. ^ Reviews of Newcomb's Problem: J. Dmitri Gallow, Economics & Philosophy, doi:10.1017/S0266267119000178; Jack Spencer, Notre Dame Phil. Rev., [6]
  28. ^ a b c d e Yeomans, Emma (31 May 2023). "Who is Arif Ahmed, the UK's first free speech tsar?". The Times.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  29. ^ Ahmed, Nasim (17 January 2023). "Is Rishi Sunak really going to appoint critic of IHRA UK's free speech tsar?". Middle East Monitor. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  30. ^ Sheffield, Dr F. C. C. (10 September 2019). "Dr Frisbee C C Sheffield". www.classics.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
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