Teaching & Experiential Learning
In the Fall term I’m teaching PHIL 259 Critical Thinking which engages with the question, ‘What makes it rational to be persuaded of something?’ Supported by experiential tasks ranging from analysing real-life arguments concerning renewable energy, to hosting a ‘stand-up philosophy’ event, it provides a foundation in the analytical and argumentative skills needed for any academic discipline, and equips students with the tools needed for critical engagement with arguments and propaganda found in politics, public science and policy, law, media and marketing.
Research
I have research interests in ethics and moral psychology, the philosophy of mind and action, and the history of philosophy. I’m particularly interested in philosophical accounts of motivation, and the nature and relationships between rationality, desires, emotions, values and the explanation of intentional actions.
Supervision
I’m interested in supervising projects on:
- Ethics (including meta-ethics and moral psychology)
- Philosophy of action
- History of philosophy - especially ethics and metaphysics
- Philosophy of language
- Environmental philosophy
Recent Publications
- ‘Cohen, Ezra Benjamin. 2018. "Reason in Action: A Realist Account." British Library EThOS (uk.bl.ethos.737663),