Paul J. Kelly is pursuing a Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His primary areas of philosophical interest are the philosophy of science (especially the philosophy of cognitive science and biology) and ethics (especially biomedical, business, and technology ethics).
What are you most proud of in your professional life?
The thing that I’m most proud of in my professional life so far is my work as a mentor of undergraduate students through the Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) program at UW-Madison. Last year, for example, I oversaw a year-long independent study with two freshman Neuroscience students that focused on the nature of scientific models and how they represent. This research culminated in my students composing a piece of writing that was accepted for presentation at a state-wide philosophy conference (The Wisconsin Philosophical Association) and, based on the feedback that they received, is now being revised for submission to undergraduate philosophy journals for possible publication. While I proposed the original topic for the project and selected the initial set of readings, virtually all subsequent readings were selected by my students based on what they found most interesting. The most rewarding part of the whole experience for me was observing the gradual improvements in their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills over the course of our year working together. To my mind, there’s nothing better than seeing the recognition on a student’s face when they realize that they just employed a new skill that they acquired with your assistance (e.g. a student understanding what a possible counterexample to some author’s claim would look like and then advancing one that they came up with themself). Recently, based on my involvement with the URS program, I was a recipient of the 2023 Graduate Peer Mentor Award (awarded annually to three graduate students by the UW-Madison Graduate School).
What are you working on right now?
As a late-stage Ph.D. student, I’m primarily working on my dissertation, which concerns the nature of scientific models. The term “model” is ubiquitous in contemporary science (i.e. climate models, COVID spread models, economic models, etc.). Yet, as it stands, there is no consensus among scientists and philosophers about what models fundamentally are, how they represent, and how they enable genuine explanations (as opposed to, for example, merely generating true predictions). My dissertation attempts to make progress on these questions, with a particular emphasis on their relevance to some recent debates in cognitive science.
What do you like to do outside work?
When I’m not doing philosophy, I enjoy traveling, visiting museums, and watching films with friends. I’ve also recently gotten back into running regularly and am signed up for my first half-marathon in November. (Wish me luck!)
Where is your favorite place you have ever traveled and why?
My favorite place that I’ve ever traveled to is Iceland. I was only there for a few days and so didn’t have time to see much of it. However, the beauty and variety of the natural landscapes that I was able to see during my limited time there were absolutely stunning.
Which books have changed your life? In what ways?
If I had to pick two books that changed my life, I think they would have to be A.J. Ayer’s Language, Truth, and Logic and Paul Churchland’s Scientific Realism and the Plasticity of Mind. I read both authors early in my undergraduate education and they left an extremely strong impression on me. Reading and reflecting on the ideas and arguments conveyed in those two books formed a large part of my initial exposure to philosophical thinking. I also find myself to have been strongly influenced by the writing style of both books, along with their shared sense that no belief, no matter how widely or deeply held, is immune from being subjected to philosophical reflection and (if deemed appropriate) possible revision. Finally, while I am no longer persuaded by many of the answers proposed in those two books, in my present-day research, I continue to reflect on some of the questions discussed within them: for instance, what role should values play within scientific reasoning, and what can science tell us about the nature of the mind?
What would your childhood self say if someone told you that you would grow up to be a philosopher?
I think my childhood self would initially be quite puzzled since he likely wouldn’t know what a “philosopher” is. If, however, someone explained it to him, I think he would like the idea. I think most kids like the idea of thinking about “big questions” and talking with others about what the possible answers to them might be. Professional philosophers are just those lucky enough to spend a lot of their time doing just that.
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Alexis LaBar has a Master’s degree in Philosophy from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Before attending West Chester, she graduated from Moravian University with a Bachelor’s in Philosophy, a minor in Global Religions, and an Ethics certificate. She is the recipient of the 2022 Claghorn Award in Philosophy, awarded by West Chester University, and the 2021 Douglas Anderson Prize in Philosophy, awarded by Moravian University. She is the Editor of the Teaching Beat and Work/Life Balance Beat.
