I am an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of North Georgia.
Areas of Specialization:
Wittgenstein, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Language, and Existentialism
With philosophy of language and metaphysics, I am primarily interested
in language-world relations, particularly in relation to the
implications of alternative conceptual schemes. Among other
things, I am interested in issues concerning the language-relativity of
ontology. My work on Wittgenstein and Putnam
has lead me to metametaphysical
questions concerning the nature of metaphysical and ontological
disputes.
I first came to philosophy for what I would call existentialist reasons. I am now returning to many of those concerns, doing research and teaching classes on topics such as happiness, suffering, death, awe, and love.
Areas of Competence: Epistemology, Logic, and Ethics
With epistemology I am particularly interested in working out the best way to understand fallibilism and I am interested in the development of philosophical methodology (e.g., the ways in which philosophy has been a varying mix of the a priori and the a posteriori).
With ethics I am particularly interested in the question of what constitutes a life worth living and the nature of the relationships between ethics, a life worth living, philosophy, and religion. Part of that deep interest compels me to think seriously about Nietzsche, his work on the question of values, and the role and nature of suffering in human existence.