I have published a paper on Descartes' views about skepticism, and I am currently working on my first book project about the role of skepticism in early modern philosophy.

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My dissertation is a historiographical study of the role of skepticism in the thought of Descartes, Hume, and other early modern philosophers. I argue that, for Descartes, though he utilizes skeptical argumentation in some of his philosophical works—for this he is well known—skepticism is a trivial philosophy. I also argue that although Hume is deeply influenced by skeptical philosophy, the kind of skepticism he espouses cannot be accurately characterized as Pyrrhonian or Academic. To support my arguments, in addition to examining the works of other early modern philosophers like Bayle and Charron, I analyze the writings of the originators of western skepticism, including Sextus Empiricus and Cicero. The research I conducted for my dissertation is indicative of my strong interest in both the history of philosophy and early modern philosophy.

 

In addition to my work in early modern philosophy, I have also published a paper for the online academic and news website, The Conversation, in which I argue that partisanship clouds our judgment even in the face of hypocrisy.