Staff profile

About Me

My research is primarily on topics in metaphysics and formal ontology, the philosophy of language and linguistics, and metaphilosophy. I am also interested in the history of analytic philosophy, in particular the work of Rudolf Carnap, and have written a number of pieces outlining and examining the philosophy of EJ Lowe.

At the moment, I'm working on some issues in the metaphysics of language (especially the ontology of words), and in metametaphysics. I have recently published a monograph on metaphysical realism and anti-realism as part of the Cambridge Elements in Metaphysics series.

I have also edited two books: The Routledge Handbook of Metametaphysics (2020, Routledge), and The Language of Ontology (2021, Oxford University Press).

Previously, I worked at Nottingham University and Trinity College Dublin in teaching-focused roles.

Research Supervision

I would welcome enquiries from students wanting to carry out research on topics in metaphysics and/or ontology (including metametaphysics), philosophy of language (including the metaphysics/ontology of language), and philosophy of linguistics.

• History of Analytic Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Linguistics

Authored book

• Metaphysical Realism and Anti-realism
  Miller, J. (2022). Metaphysical Realism and Anti-realism. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009006927

Chapter in book

• Types and Tokens
  Miller, J. (2024). Types and Tokens. In International Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, 3rd Edition. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-95504-1.00239-8
• Linguistic Kinds
  Miller, J. (2024). Linguistic Kinds. In Reference Module in Social Sciences. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-95504-1.00283-0
• Who’s Afraid of Conceptual Analysis?
  Miller, J. (2023). Who’s Afraid of Conceptual Analysis?. In M. Garcia-Godinez (Ed.), Thomasson on Ontology (85-108). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23672-3_5
• Does Linguistics Need (Weak) Emergence?
  Miller, J. (2022). Does Linguistics Need (Weak) Emergence?. In S. Wuppuluri, & I. Steward (Eds.), From Electrons to Elephants and Elections (23-38). (1). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92192-7_3
• What Counts as a 'Good Metaphysical Language'?
  Miller, J. (2021). What Counts as a 'Good Metaphysical Language'?. In J. Miller (Ed.), The Language of Ontology (102-118). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192895332.003.0007
• Metaphysics as the Science of the Possible
  Miller, J. (2020). Metaphysics as the Science of the Possible. In R. Bliss, & J. Miller (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Metametaphysics (480-491). Routledge
• The Unavoidable Dream Problem
  Miller, J. (2012). The Unavoidable Dream Problem. In D. Johnson, & W. Irwin (Eds.), Inception and Philosophy: Because It's Never Just a Dream. Wiley

Edited book

• The Language of Ontology
  Miller, J. (Ed.). (2021). The Language of Ontology. Oxford University Press
• The Routledge Handbook of Metametaphysics
  Bliss, R., & Miller, J. (Eds.). (2020). The Routledge Handbook of Metametaphysics. Routledge

Journal Article

• ‘Water’ and ‘Water’: On Twin Earth and the Metaphysics of Words
  Miller, J. (in press). ‘Water’ and ‘Water’: On Twin Earth and the Metaphysics of Words. Journal of the American Philosophical Association,
• Words Without Intentions
  Miller, J. (in press). Words Without Intentions. Croatian Journal of Philosophy,
• There Are No Uninstantiated Words
  Miller, J. (2025). There Are No Uninstantiated Words. Inquiry, 68(2), 209-214. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020174x.2022.2078405
• How to Misspell 'Paris'
  Miller, J. T. M. (2024). How to Misspell 'Paris'. Philosophy, 99(4), 511-537. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031819124000226
• Hyperintensionality and Ontological Categories
  Miller, J. (2024). Hyperintensionality and Ontological Categories. Erkenntnis, 89(7), 2663–2681. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-022-00646-3
• The metaphysics of puns
  Miller, J. (2024). The metaphysics of puns. Synthese, 203(5), Article 130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-024-04583-2
• Easy Ontology, Regress, and Holism
  Miller, J. (2023). Easy Ontology, Regress, and Holism. Erkenntnis, 88, 1855–1868. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-021-00432-7
• Merely Verbal Disputes and Common Ground
  Miller, J. (2023). Merely Verbal Disputes and Common Ground. Theoria, 89(1), 114-123. https://doi.org/10.1111/theo.12449
• Sameness of Word
  Miller, J. (2022). Sameness of Word. European Journal of Analytic Philosophy, 18(2), Article A2. https://doi.org/10.31820/ejap.18.2.2
• A bundle theory of words
  Miller, J. (2021). A bundle theory of words. Synthese, 198, 5731-5748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-019-02430-3
• Words, Species, and Kinds
  Miller, J. (2021). Words, Species, and Kinds. Metaphysics, 4(1), 18-31. https://doi.org/10.5334/met.70
• The ontology of words: Realism, nominalism, and eliminativism
  Miller, J. (2020). The ontology of words: Realism, nominalism, and eliminativism. Philosophy Compass, 15(7), Article e12691. https://doi.org/10.1111/phc3.12691
• On the individuation of words
  Miller, J. (2020). On the individuation of words. Inquiry, 63(8), 875-884. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020174x.2018.1562378
• Natural Name Theory and Linguistic Kinds
  Miller, J. (2019). Natural Name Theory and Linguistic Kinds. Journal of Philosophy, 116(9), 494-508. https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil2019116930
• Are All Primitives Created Equal?
  Miller, J. (2018). Are All Primitives Created Equal?. The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 56(2), 273-292. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjp.12279
• Language and ontological emergence
  Miller, J. (2017). Language and ontological emergence. Philosophica (Gent. Printed), 91, 105-143
• The Non-existence of Ontological Categories: A defence of Lowe
  Miller, J. (2016). The Non-existence of Ontological Categories: A defence of Lowe. Metaphysica, 17(2), 163-176. https://doi.org/10.1515/mp-2016-0012
• Can an Ontological Pluralist Really be a Realist?
  Miller, J. (2016). Can an Ontological Pluralist Really be a Realist?. Metaphilosophy, 47(3), 425-430. https://doi.org/10.1111/meta.12185
• Lexicalisation and the Origin of the Human Mind
  Hughes, T. J., & Miller, J. (2014). Lexicalisation and the Origin of the Human Mind. Biosemiotics, 7(1), 11-27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12304-013-9189-1