Professional Biography

My research interests are in Early Modern Philosophy, Reid, and Philosophy of Mind, in particular, perception. I have articles in Philosophical Quarterly, History of Philosophy Quarterly, The Journal of the History of Philosophy, The British Journal for the History of Philosophy, Philosophy Compass, Reid Studies and the Proceedings of the Ninth International Kant Congress. In teaching I engage the traditional liberal arts, in which broad and deep intellectual engagement is regarded as a good in and of itself independent of its practical uses. I encourage people to love the power of their minds. The mind, like the body, must be exercised and exercised through work. Philosophy is the most extreme of extreme sports. It allows us to expand our sphere of concern and focus less on our own narrow subjectivites.

Academic Credentials

Ph.D. 2001, M.A. 1998 Cornell University

B.A. 1993 University of California at Santa Cruz