O'Neill has written widely on political philosophy and ethics, international justice, bioethics and the philosophy of Immanuel Kant.
Across various works, O'Neill has defended and applied a constructivist interpretation of Kantian ethics heavily influenced by, and yet critical of, the work of John Rawls, emphasising the importance of trust, consent and respect for autonomy in a just society. She has written extensively about trust, noting "that people often choose to rely on the very people whom they claimed not to trust" and suggesting that we "need to free professionals and the public service to serve the public...to work towards more intelligent forms of accountability...[and] to rethink a media culture in which spreading suspicion has become a routine activity".[8]
In September 2015, during the XII. quinquennial international Kant-conference in Vienna, she received the Kant-Preis of the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung for her scholarly work on the practical and political philosophy of Immanuel Kant. (see 12th International Kant Congress 2015 » Social Program)
In February 2016, she was awarded the Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for her outstanding contribution to moral and ethical questions of trust, accountability in civic life, justice and virtue.[20]
Currently, she is the president of the Society for Applied Philosophy, a society founded in 1982 with the aim of promoting philosophical study and research that has a direct bearing on areas of practical concern.[21]
In 2017, she was awarded the Norwegian Holberg Prize for outstanding contributions to research in the arts and humanities "for her influential role in ethical and political philosophy".[22] The same year she was awarded the Berggruen Prize.[23]
O'Neill is an Honorary Fellow of Somerville College.[24]
Quarterly 1st & 4th per fess wavy the chief Argent and the base representing waves of the sea in chief a dexter hand couped at the wrist Gules in base a salmon naiant Proper (O'Neill) 2nd & 3rd chequy Or and Gules a chief Vert (Chichester).[26]
Supporters
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Motto
Lamh Dearg Eirin
Bibliography
Books
O'Neill, Onora (1975). Acting on principle : an essay on Kantian ethics. New York: Columbia University Press.
O'Neill, Onora (1986). Faces of Hunger: An Essay on Poverty, Development and Justice. Allen & Unwin.
O'Neill, Onora (1989). Constructions of Reason: Exploration of Kant's Practical Philosophy. Cambridge University Press.