I specialize in Ancient Greek philosophy with a focus on Plato. What that really means is that, like Plato, I am enthusiastic about all sorts of philosophical ideas and methodologies. Moreover, like Plato, I am interested in the thinkers that came before Plato. I am currently working on three main projects:
- I am trying to sort out just how Plato appropriated the sophists’ ideas about justice. In particular, I am interested in how a reevaluation of the sophists and Plato’s portrayal of them might shed new light on the development of the positions advanced in the Gorgias and the Republic.
- I am writing a book on Plato’s engagement with sophistic rhetoric in the Cratylus. I argue that this requires a serious reinterpretation of Plato’s philosophy of language.
- I am also very interested in Plato’s reaction to Heraclitus, especially with respect to Plato’s ‘middle period’ metaphysics (i.e., the “forms”).
Apart from Ancient Greek philosophy, I am also passionate about environmental philosophy (not just environmental ethics), and I have several of these projects in the slow cooker. In the forefront is rethinking the received wilderness concept.
For prospective graduate students: not only is a foundation in Ancient Greek philosophy important for general philosophical knowledge, but most philosophical traditions stem from or interact directly with their Greek predecessors. Accordingly, I teach graduate seminars on topics in Ancient Greek philosophy each year. In addition, I am not only available to supervise work in Ancient Greek philosophy, but I am also keen to work with you on projects that have a significant intersection with Ancient Greek philosophy.
For information about my publications, see my PhilPeople page.