Invited Talks and Lectures
“Pain cannot (just) be whatever the patient says: A critique of a dogma”
Presented at: Nursing Conversations (with Dr. Martin Lipscomb)
Youtube Interview
June, 2023
Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ9p15Vwp58
This conversation discusses some of my research on pain. Specifically, it argues that McCaffery's famous definition of pain as "whatever the patient says it is" is unsustainable. It then turns to Dame Saunders for a more tractable account. And it closes with reflections on operationalizing this account in clinical contexts.
Presented at: Nursing Conversations (with Dr. Martin Lipscomb)
Youtube Interview
June, 2023
Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ9p15Vwp58
This conversation discusses some of my research on pain. Specifically, it argues that McCaffery's famous definition of pain as "whatever the patient says it is" is unsustainable. It then turns to Dame Saunders for a more tractable account. And it closes with reflections on operationalizing this account in clinical contexts.
“Description as a Doing”
Presented at: The Poul Lübcke Memorial Lecture Series
Hong Kierkegaard Library, Northfield, MN, US
July 15, 2020
This talk discusses illusions in Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard. Specifically, it ascribes to both the following theses: (a) certain types of description can engender illusions; (b) removing these illusions requires non-standard philosophical methods (c) one of these methods is a different type of description. It examines, elaborates and defends each thesis as well as discusses some fruitful avenues for further research
Presented at: The Poul Lübcke Memorial Lecture Series
Hong Kierkegaard Library, Northfield, MN, US
July 15, 2020
This talk discusses illusions in Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard. Specifically, it ascribes to both the following theses: (a) certain types of description can engender illusions; (b) removing these illusions requires non-standard philosophical methods (c) one of these methods is a different type of description. It examines, elaborates and defends each thesis as well as discusses some fruitful avenues for further research
"Recognizing Expressions of Pain: Honneth, Wittgenstein, and the Normative Underpinnings of the Social World"
Presented at: Democracy, Socialism, and Engagement: Axel Honneth and Critical Theory Today Conference
The Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, Belgrade, Serbia
June 21, 2019
Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8R4y4MWvrk
One of the most interesting features of Honneth’s thought is that, for him, social ontology is inexorably linked to normative forms of recognition. This talk aims to explore this link further. Specifically, I link Honneth's account of recognition to Wittgenstein's discussions of expression. I then argue that recognizing some being as capable of, e.g., expressing pain is itself normative. I then argue that many social scientific concepts both depend on this sort of recognition and so are inexorably normative.
Presented at: Democracy, Socialism, and Engagement: Axel Honneth and Critical Theory Today Conference
The Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, Belgrade, Serbia
June 21, 2019
Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8R4y4MWvrk
One of the most interesting features of Honneth’s thought is that, for him, social ontology is inexorably linked to normative forms of recognition. This talk aims to explore this link further. Specifically, I link Honneth's account of recognition to Wittgenstein's discussions of expression. I then argue that recognizing some being as capable of, e.g., expressing pain is itself normative. I then argue that many social scientific concepts both depend on this sort of recognition and so are inexorably normative.
"Fragmented Cultures and Artefacts of Representation? The Culture Concept and Its Problems"
Presented at: Theoretical Philosophy Colloquium
Berlin Technische Universität, Berlin, Germany
May 21, 2019
This talk explores the concept of culture in early anthropology, recent criticisms of it by anthropologists, and how one might meet these criticisms while maintaining the pragmatic usefulness of the culture concept. Specifically, I argue that a nuanced account of "representation" can assimilate important features of these criticisms while maintaining a role for the concept of culture.
Presented at: Theoretical Philosophy Colloquium
Berlin Technische Universität, Berlin, Germany
May 21, 2019
This talk explores the concept of culture in early anthropology, recent criticisms of it by anthropologists, and how one might meet these criticisms while maintaining the pragmatic usefulness of the culture concept. Specifically, I argue that a nuanced account of "representation" can assimilate important features of these criticisms while maintaining a role for the concept of culture.
"Conceptual Engineering: Imperialism with an Analytic Face"
Presented at: Theoretical Philosophy Colloquium
University of Bern, Switzerland.
May 8, 2019
This talk argues that conceptual engineering, in its political form, quickly deteriorates into a form of intellectual-cum-political imperialism. To make this case, I examine ameliorative analysis a la Haslanger against the backdrop of post-colonial theorists like G. Spivak and T. Asad. I argue that the latter both show that ameliorative analysis is imperialistic as well as why such an imperialism is deeply problematic for the goal of fostering social justice.
Presented at: Theoretical Philosophy Colloquium
University of Bern, Switzerland.
May 8, 2019
This talk argues that conceptual engineering, in its political form, quickly deteriorates into a form of intellectual-cum-political imperialism. To make this case, I examine ameliorative analysis a la Haslanger against the backdrop of post-colonial theorists like G. Spivak and T. Asad. I argue that the latter both show that ameliorative analysis is imperialistic as well as why such an imperialism is deeply problematic for the goal of fostering social justice.