Brian Joseph O'Shaughnessy (10 September 1925 – 7 July 2010)[1] was an Australian philosopher of mind, who lived in London and taught at King's College London.

He published papers on the nature of physical action and the will, at a time when this was quite unfashionable.

[2][better source needed] He was born in Kew, a suburb of Melbourne in Australia, where his father was a doctor.

[2] He studied at Xavier College and then attended Melbourne University, firstly studying engineering before changing to philosophy.

He graduated in 1950 and then went to England to continue his studies at Oxford University.