Trenton Sewell

Trenton is a DPhil candidate at Regent’s Park College, supervised by Professors James Edwards and Kate Greasley. His research investigates the excusatory potential of our emotions. Whether or not we should be blamed - or (in the case of law) punished - for what we do can depend on why we do it; on what moved us to action. His thesis asks when and why emotions (when they are part of the motivational story) reduce our culpability for what we do.  In exploring this question, his research tries to bring an array of philosophical areas into dialogue - with a particular focus on the philosophy of criminal law, responsibility, emotion, and action. 

Outside of his thesis, he has research interests in Jurisprudence. In pursuance of this interest, he is one of the convenors of the Oxford Jurisprudence Discussion Group.

He received an LLB from the University of Cambridge (First-class honours), before pursuing an MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science (Distinction). After that he returned to the study of law, taking the Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford (Distinction). 

Trenton does undergraduate teaching in Criminal Law, Jurisprudence, and Land Law.