Research
My current research is on Locke's religious epistemology. The focus of my work is to reconcile what I take to be misinterpretations of Locke's concept of the miraculous with his position on the evidential role or value of miracles and miracle testimony in confirming the authenticity of revelation. In doing so I hope to provide a more charitable account of Locke's stance on the relationship between miracles, testimony, and revelation – one that I think in many ways could and should rival Hume's current monopoly on the subject. This topic forms the central theme of my dissertation, though I also aim to tackle Locke’s theology more broadly, situating him within the great theological debates of the 17th century.
Talks
“Mary Shepherd’s Defense of Miracles Against Hume"
European Society of Early Modern Philosophy Young Workshop, University of Copenhagen, September 2022
NYC Workshop in Early Modern Philosophy: Expanding the Canon, Fordham University, May 2022
“Curb Your Enthusiasm: Locke on the Evidential Role and Objective Nature of Miracles”
John Locke Conference, American University of Bulgaria, June 2022
Intermountain Philosophy Conference, Utah State University, February 2022
Intermountain Philosophy Conference, Southern Utah University, November 2020
“Spinoza on the Eternity of the Human Mind"
Intermountain Philosophy Conference, Utah Valley University, October 2019
“From Spinoza to the Enlightenment: The Struggle for Freedom of Thought, Freedom of Speech, and Secular Society”
Second Annual Undergraduate Conference, University of North Texas, April 2018
Eighth Annual Hoaglund Philosophy and Religious Studies Conference, Christopher Newport University, April 2017
Graduate Coursework
(*Enrolled as an observer)
*Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, Chapman Waters, Spring 2021
John Locke, Lex Newman, Spring 2020
Philosophy of Mind, Natalia Washington, Spring 2020
Metaphysics, Anne Siebels Peterson, Spring 2020
Practical Reason, Chrisoula Andreou, Fall 2019
Adv. Deductive Logic, Natalia Washington, Fall 2019
Medieval Philosophy, Brandon Peterson, Fall 2019
*Early Modern Philosophy, Lex Newman, Fall 2019
Modern Political Theory, Steven Johnston, Spring 2019
Classical Chinese Philosophy, Eric Hutton, Spring 2019
Early Modern Rationalists, Lex Newman, Spring 2019
Adv. Political Philosophy, Eric Hutton & Mark Button, Fall 2018
Perception, Dustin Stokes, Fall 2018
Nietzsche, Elijah Millgram, Fall 2018
Deductive Logic, Lex Newman, Fall 2018
Panel Discussions
Panel Participant
“When Police Act to Contain or Dissolve a Protest, Do They Serve the Public/Common Good or Do They Maintain the Status Quo?"
Quest for Peace, Fifth Annual Panel Discussion, Miami Dade College, November 2018
“Is it Morally Justifiable to Use Violence Against Hate Groups?”
Quest for Peace, Fourth Annual Panel Discussion, Miami Dade College, November 2017
“Is Violence a Justifiable Method of Protest in a Democracy?"
Quest for Peace, Third Annual Panel Discussion, Miami Dade College, November 2016
Panel Organizer
“Can capitalism address the challenges of climate change?”
Quest for Peace, Sixth Annual Panel Discussion, Miami Dade College, November 2019
“When Police Act to Contain or Dissolve a Protest, Do They Serve the Public/Common Good or Do They Maintain the Status Quo?”
Quest for Peace, Fifth Annual Panel Discussion, Miami Dade College, November 2018