Research
Logic, Decision Theory, Philosophy of Science.I work mainly in philosophy of science and decision theory, with particular attention to issues surrounding probability and confirmation. My current research relates to analogical reasoning (following up on my book, By Parallel Reasoning: The Construction and Evaluation of Analogical Arguments, Oxford University Press, 2010), the role of symmetry in probabilistic reasoning, and Pascal’s Wager (see the anthology, co-edited with Lawrence Pasternack, Pascal’s Wager: Classic Philosophical Arguments, Cambridge University Press, 2018). I have additional work in progress on philosophy of the environment, specifically related to the Precautionary Principle and decision-making.
Presentations
- “Decisions in Branching Time” Monash University, July 2012
- “What Can We Learn From Analogies in Mathematics?” Humanities and Social Sciences Unit, California Institute of Technology, March 2011; University of Toronto Department of Philosophy, April 2011; University of Washington Department of Philosophy, April 2011
Publications
- “Analogy and Analogical Reasoning“, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, forthcoming, Edward N. Zalta, ed.
- “Many Gods, Many Wagers: Pascal’s Wager Meets the Replicator Dynamics” in Probability in the Philosophy of Religion, ed. J. Chandler and V. S. Harrison, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012)
- By Parallel Reasoning: The Construction and Evaluation of Analogical Arguments (Oxford University Press, 2010)
- “Taking Stock of Infinite Value: Pascal’s Wager and Relative Utilities“, Synthese 154 (2007), 5-52
- “Countable Additivity and the de Finetti lottery“, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 55 (2004), 301-321
Teaching Materials
Additional Department Roles
- Undergraduate Majors Advisor
- Chair of Undergraduate Studies