Rob Clowes is a researcher in philosophy who mainly specializes in the philosophy of mind and technology. He works especially on the nature of consciousness, the role of language in mind and the relationship between cognition and technology (especially Internet technology). Recent papers include “The Cognitive Integration of E-Memory” and “Thinking in the Cloud”. He has edited two journal special issues on Machine Consciousness. He is based at Nova Institute of Philosophy in Lisbon where he chairs the Lisbon Mind & Cognition Group. He is a visiting research fellow at the Centre for Research in Cognitive Science (COGS). He is funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology FCT.

Rob chairs the Lisbon Salon which is a serious but fun English Language discussion forum based in Lisbon. He was a founder member and the chairman of the Brighton Salon. Through these Salons, developed in association with the Academy of Ideas and modelled on those of the 18th Century.

Rob is also an occasional theatre director and actor at Lisbon´s English Language Theatre Company: The Lisbon Players. Last year he appeared in The Twelth Night at the CCB (Belem Cultural Centre). In Spring 2013 he directed a new play called When Were You Happiest by the London based playwright Dan Davies.