Personal profile
Biography
I am currently a faculty member at SETU, where I teach psychology. My academic background is diverse, with degrees in general and experimental psychology, cognitive science, applied animal behaviour and welfare science, and artificial intelligence and machine learning. I earned my PhD in philosophy (animal ethics) from UCD School of Philosophy, followed by my Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship, also at UCD.
Research Interests
My research interests are interdisciplinary, encompassing moral philosophy, moral psychology, and animal cognition. My IRC-funded project, titled ‘The Value of Sentience’, allowed me to investigate these areas.
Looking ahead, I aim to explore the possibility of moral progress in our relations with nonhuman animals and the natural environment in my upcoming research project. I plan to address both conceptual and practical questions, considering what would constitute moral progress in this context, and which conditions would help bring it about, at both the individual and socio-political levels.
Education/Academic qualification
Postgraduate Diploma, Science in Computing (AI/ML), National College of Ireland
01 Sep 2022 → 31 Aug 2023
Award Date: 13 Nov 2023
PhD, Philosophy (Animal Ethics), University College Dublin
Award Date: 02 Feb 2017
Postgraduate Diploma, Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare (, University of Edinburgh
01 Sep 2006 → 31 May 2007
Award Date: 22 Jun 2007
Masters Degree, Cognitive Science, University College Dublin
01 Sep 2000 → 30 Sep 2001
Award Date: 24 Oct 2001
Masters Degree, General and Experimental Psychology, Università degli studi di Padova
01 Sep 1991 → 30 Sep 1996
Award Date: 24 Feb 1997
External positions
Post-doctoral Research Fellow (IRC), University College Dublin
01 Sep 2019 → 22 Dec 2020
Lecturer and Academic Tutor, University College Dublin
01 Sep 2011 → 30 Jun 2018
Keywords
- B Philosophy (General)
- Animal ethics
- BF Psychology
- Animal and Environment Interaction
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land
Fingerprint
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Sentience: From Capacity to Mode of Being
Setola, P., 01 Mar 2025, In: Ethics & the Environment. 30, 1, p. 33-63 31 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Cosa pensano i pesci. Percezione, coscienza, consapevolezza
Balcombe, J. & Setola, P. (Translator), 2018, Ricca Editore. 312 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book › peer-review
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The limits of intervention in nature on behalf of wild animals and the limits of ethics
Setola, P., Woodhall, A. (Editor) & Trinidade, G. G. D. (Editor), 17 Oct 2016, Intervention or Protest: Acting for Nonhuman Animals. Vernon PressResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
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Words in the brain's language: An experimental investigation
Setola, P. & Reilly, R. G., 01 Sep 2005, In: Brain and Language.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
4 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Special Commendation Prize in connection with the NUI Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the Humanities 2020.
Setola, P. (Recipient), 15 Dec 2020
Prize
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In Defence of Empathy in Animal Ethics
Setola, P. (Speaker)
22 Mar 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
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The Value of Sentience: Empathy, Vulnerability, and Recognition
Setola, P. (Organiser)
07 Mar 2018 → 09 Mar 2018Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...