a photo of Alex King, in a black and white speckled coat, looking slightly downward and fluffing her green hair


I am an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Simon Fraser University. Before that, I was at SUNY Buffalo for several years.

My primary areas of interest are ethics and aesthetics.


My work in ethics centers on the 'ought implies can' principle. I am the author of the book What We Ought and What We Can, which provides an overview of the principle and an extended argument against it. I am currently thinking a lot about moral value, reasons, and normativity.

I am also co-editor of book reviews for Ethics. Presses: Please send books to this address.


My work in aesthetics primarily concerns aesthetic normativity, reasons, and value. I have also written about subtlety and other issues in the philosophy of art.

I run the aesthetics and philosophy of art blog Aesthetics for Birds. There you can also find some interviews I've conducted as well as posts I've written on, for example, high and low art and the importance of cosplay.


I have written for Philosopher about multiracial identity and the different things it means to be a person of color. And I have been interviewed by the CBC and for the APA Blog.

My preferred pronouns are she/her/hers.

Feel free to send me an email at arking@sfu.ca.