Associate Professor George Hull has been officially recognized as one of South Africa’s premier educators, securing a 2025 National University Teaching Award (NUTA). This national accolade follows his 2023 Distinguished Teacher Award at the University of Cape Town (UCT), cementing his reputation as a “highly committed and influential” force in higher education.
Known for tackling the “big questions”—ranging from business ethics and political philosophy to the philosophy of race—Hull’s teaching philosophy is built on a unique duality: challenging students with intellectual discomfort while empowering them with the tools to defend their own convictions.
The Award-Winning Approach
In a recent sit-down with Lisa Templeton, Hull reflected on his journey and the evolving role of philosophy in a changing world.
- A “Discomforting” Education: Hull believes a good philosophy lecturer should avoid “easy orthodoxy.” By presenting incompatible but well-argued positions, he forces students to grapple with the reality that complex problems rarely have simple answers.
- Decolonizing the Curriculum: Hull is celebrated for integrating the works of Southern African liberation intellectuals like Neville Alexander and Robert Sobukwe into his courses. He famously brought history to life by inviting living icons like Ben Turok to bridge the gap between 1960s identity politics and modern campus debates.
- Philosophy in the “Real World”: From helping medical students navigate life-and-death ward dilemmas to addressing the ethical “guardrails” required for Artificial Intelligence, Hull argues that philosophy is no longer just about “impenetrable treatises”—it is an essential tool for modern survival.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Drawing inspiration from his own mentor, Ernst Tugendhat, Hull treats philosophical problems as urgent matters. He highlights that while philosophy isn’t taught in South African schools, its relevance is peaking. As “thought experiments” regarding consciousness and AI become real-world choices, Hull’s mission remains clear: equipping students to think for themselves, systematically and bravely.
“A lecturer shouldn’t just be giving an exposition of theories. They should be equipping students with the tools… so that they can articulate and defend their own views.” — Assoc. Prof. George Hull
