metalogic/

metaethics

 

philosophy of forms and self-reference

An invitation to read philosophy with me:

Since 2018, I've offered private seminars and guided readings for individuals and groups. All courses can be made ab initio, presupposing only the desire to read closely and/or to learn some math, as applicable. Alternatively, we can jump in at the postgraduate level. Please contact for further discussion.

Here are some perpetual seminars around things I'm always working on, and therefore always glad to be discussing:

• Metalogic. Beginning and intermediate mathematical logic and set theory, and their philosophical significance. 
• Philosophies of Large Cardinal Theory. Higher axioms of infinity (beyond those of standard ZFC set theory), and the growing field of their interpretation. 
• The Metalogical Plato. Close readings of the dialogues. Interpretations of the elenchos, incommensurability, Forms, the Idea of the Good, the One, the Dyad, and the Multiple. Creative receptions of Plato, positive and negative, in philosophy. Engagement with the secondary literature as desired. 
• Badiou's Being & Event Trilogy
• Classics of Continental Philosophy (Metalogical Interpretations) e.g., the Second Critique, selected Hegel, Concluding Unscientific Postscript, Being & Time, Gravity & Grace, Being & Nothingness, The Unfinished System of Non-Knowledge, selected Lacan, the Cahiers pour l'Analyse group, Totality & Infinity, Difference & Repetition, Margins of Philosophy, The Coming Community... )
• The Metalogical Sartre. Sartre's early phenomenological writings through the dialectical turn. Special attention to the ontology and metaethics of Being & Nothingness and the Notebooks for an Ethics. Engagement with the secondary literature as desired. 
• Classical and Contemporary Readings in Metaethics 

Here are some recent experiments:

• Philosophy of Science through Metalogic
• Philosophy of Mind through Metalogic
• Classical Asian Philosophy through Metalogic
• Philosophy since 2000

• Philosophy since 2022. We read and discuss very recent philosophy. Nothing over a year old. Obviously, no expertise is pretended. 

C.V. (Teaching)

AOS: Mathematical Philosophy, Plato, Continental Philosophy (esp. Sartre, Badiou)

AOC: Logic, Classical Asian Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind

Appointments

• Researcher, University of New Mexico (current)
• Instructor, Study Groups in Psychoanalysis and Politics
• Instructor, Desert Academy, Santa Fe
• Instructor, Global Center for Advanced Studies
• Teaching Affiliate, New Centre for Research & Practice
• Instructor, West Chester University
• Instructor, Villanova University
• Graduate Teaching Assistant, Villanova University

Courses Taught 

Primarily Graduate

• Badiou’s The Immanence of Truths. Study Groups in Psychoanalysis & Politics, in association with Subset of Theoretical Practice
• The Future of Intelligence. Co-instructor with Simon DeDeo. New Centre for Research & Practice 
• Philosophy & Mathematics. Co-instructor with Paul Livingston and Rocco Gangle. Global Center for Advanced Studies 
• Consequences of Diagonalization. New Centre for Research & Practice

Primarily Undergraduate

• History of Ancient Philosophy. West Chester University
• Philosophy of Mind. (Upper-division) Villanova University
• Logic and Critical Thinking. Villanova University
• Introduction to Philosophy. (Standard and Accelerated) Villanova University
• Teaching Assistant: Philosophy of Mind. Villanova University
• Teaching Assistant: Philosophy of Film. Villanova University
• Teaching Assistant: Intro. to Philosophy. Villanova University
• Tutor: Villanova University Writing Center

Secondary

• IB Philosophy Years 1-2 HL and Theory of Knowledge. Desert Academy, Santa Fe.
• World Religions. St. Maria Goretti HS
• Algebra. Bais Ha’Medrash & Mesivta of Baltimore
• Teaching Assistant: Probability & Game Theory. Johns Hopkins CTY
• Teaching Assistant: Ethics. Johns Hopkins CTY

Guest Lectures

• “Plato’s So-Called Unwritten Doctrines,” for graduate seminar The One and the Multiple. UNM
• “Introductory Remarks on Large Cardinals,” for graduate seminar, History & Philosophy of Mathematics. UNM
• “Turing Machines and The Halting Problem,” for graduate seminar, History & Philosophy of Mathematics. UNM
• “Consequences of Gödel’s Theorems in the Philosophy of Mind 1-2.” Pair of guest lectures for graduate seminar, Theory of the Non-Subject: Language and Consciousness. UNM
• “Leibniz’s Discourse on Metaphysics 1-2.” Pair of guest lectures for upper-division Modern Philosophy. UNM.
• Round-table on mathematics & philosophy from Euclid to Gödel for undergraduates & graduate students. University of New Mexico
• “Dennett’s “Quining Qualia”” for upper-division Philosophy of Mind. VU
• “Blade Runner: The Lyric Poem of Functionalism,” for upper-division Philosophy of Mind. VU.
• “Structuralism & Film / Is There a Language of Film?” for undergraduate Philosophy of Film. Villanova University.