Bio
My main research focus is on philosophy of language, and then especially the reference and meaning of names. I agree with Frege that “equality gives rise to challenging questions which are not altogether easy to answer.” I disagree with him on the solutions, supporting Millianism instead. My research extends to philosophy of mind, metaphysics, epistemology, meta-ethics, and philosophy of religion.
Research areas
Philosophy of Language; Philosophy of Mind; Epistemology; Metaphysics
Courses taught
- Philosophy of Religion
- Metaphysics: God, Minds, and Matter
Selected presentations
- “Empty Names and Error Theory.” Philang Conference, Lodz, Poland, 2015.
- “In The Know and Still Resisting Substitutions.” Names, Demonstratives and Expressives, conference organized by University of Milan, Gargnano, Italy, 2014.
- “Moral Twin-Earth, Reference and Disagreements.” World Congress of Philosophy, Athens, Greece, 2013.
- “In The Know and Still Resisting Substitutions.” ENFA5 (The fifth meeting of the Portuguese Society of Analytic Philosophy), Braga, Portugal, 2012.
- “A Tale of Two Marys.” The Seventh Conference of the Spanish Society of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2012.
- Comments on “Vagueness, Indeterminacy, and Logic.” APA Central Division Meeting, Minneapolis, 2011.
- “Multiple Realizability.” Southwest Philosophical Society, Memphis, TN, 2010.
- “Conceivability and Justification: A Look at Zombies.” SIFA 9, Ontology, Mind and Language, Padua, Italy, 2010.
Professional Activity
- The American Philosophical Association Committee on Defense of Professional Rights of Philosophers, 2015-present.
- Vice President, ISU AAUP Chapter, 2009-present.
- Chair, ISU Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure, 2009-present.
- Chair, Iowa Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure, 2004-present, member since 1993.