Marcus Aurelius


Todd Grassman
Philosopher

Academics

I'm currently a grad student and teaching assistant in the Philosophy PhD program at the University of Colorado at Boulder. I graduated May 2008 with my BA in Philosophy from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. My writing sample was titled Am I What I Remember?, and was also chosen for the 10th Annual Midwest Undergrad Philosophy Conference at Creighton University, where I presented it on April 12th, 2008. (If you're curious, that paper was against psychological continuity criteria of diachronic personal identity.)

Philosophical Interests (Changes Frequently)

  • I'm a big fan of Epistemology.
    • Empiricism rocks.
    • Internalism is the only way to go.
    • I have serious leanings towards Coherentism and Pragmatism in regards to justification. (Not about Truth, however, I'm not that crazy...)
    • I'm also fascinated by the movements and changes which have occurred in epistemology throughout history. For example, I love the Logical Positivists, and can often be found speaking of them enthusiastically, especially Neurath and Carnap.
  • Metaphysics can be fun.
    • "Metaphysicians are musicians without musical talent." - Rudolf Canap
    • Unlike Carnap, I think that many of the questions Metaphysicians ask are meaningful, I just don't think we can get the type of answers most people want. (See Epistemology)
    • When I do get drawn into Metaphysics, one of my favorite areas involves involves almost any Realism vs. Anti-Realism debate. As, I think Neurath or Carnap said somewhere, "While strictly speaking we have no answer for such questions, if forced to take a side, we're closer to nominalism."
  • I am also interested in Philosophy of Religion.
    • Arguments relating to the existence of God are extremely interesting, and not just academically, but for people in real life.
    • Arguments internal to religion, about various doctrines, conceptions of God, etc. are also very interesting, and may spark some of the best debates in Philosophy.