I am a summer 2020 graduate of Bowling Green State University’s Applied Philosophy PhD program. I am presently Master Instructor in Philosophy at Indian River State College (full time lecturer equivalent, for those less familiar with the rank of Master Instructor). 

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My research is mostly in applied ethics and metaethics.  I have argued that the cognitive and emotional capacities of various birds of the family Corvidae justifies extending them increased legal protections, akin to calls to grant legal personhood to non-human primates and cetaceans. Elsewhere, I have defended an account of how non-conscious organisms and computer systems could have morally relevant interests from a common objection.

My work in metaethics focuses on responses to normative error theory and other strong forms of skepticism about authoritative normative reasons. According to the error theory, though we think that there are reasons why we really ought to do, believe, intend, etc. things, in fact there are none.
 

I am especially interested in providing arguments that are grounded in considerations that error theorists and other strong skeptics of normativity are committed to. Thus, I hope to show that error theory can be refuted on the error theorist’s own terms. For example, my dissertation starts from the observation that error theorists think one or another argument for the error theory succeeds relative to their argumentative goals. I then argue that we cannot account for the full range of ways in which error theorists think arguments can succeed or fail unless we attribute to them the goal of accepting arguments that are licensed by authoritative norms for argumentation. I close by arguing that the incoherence of arguing for error theory provides evidence that there are authoritatively normative reasons, albeit these reasons may be highly relativistic or contingent. In future work, I plan to extend this argument to defend authoritative, universal normative reasons, e.g. universal, authoritative moral reasons.

 

Outside of philosophy, my other great loves include my partner, Rebecca, and our cat, Persephone. I also  enjoy lifting, fencing, gaming and a few other largely nerdy hobbies.