The publication of Action In Perception by MIT Press in 2004 established a framework for understanding the sensorimotor profile of human consciousness. As a philosopher operating within the United States, his research investigates how cognitive science, epistemology, and analytic phenomenology intersect with the theory of art and the traditional study of the mind.
Academic Trajectory
Academic training began with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University. Further graduate studies led to a B.Phil. from the University of Oxford and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. These credentials provided the foundation for a career focused on the philosophy of mind and consciousness, topics that define his current academic output.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Institutional Appointments
Career appointments include time as an assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2003, he joined the Department of Philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley, where he participated in the Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Center for New Media. During the 2011–12 academic year, he held the position of Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Additional international research experience includes visiting roles at the Institut Jean-Nicod in Paris, the Oxford Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, and the Center for Subjectivity Research at the University of Copenhagen.
Scholarly Contributions
His bibliography includes several monographs and edited collections, such as Varieties of Presence, Out of Our Heads, and Strange Tools. He also authored Is the Visual World a Grand Illusion? and co-edited Vision and Mind: Selected Readings in the Philosophy of Perception. Central to his theoretical approach is the theme of externalism, which challenges standard internalist views on mental content and brain-bound cognition.
Professional Recognition
Support for his ongoing research has come from multiple fellowships. These include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the UC President's Fellowship in the Humanities, and an ACLS/Ryskamp Fellowship.
Fast facts
- Born: 1964
- Nationality: United States
- Primary Fields: Consciousness, Epistemology, Philosophy of Mind
- Key Publication: Action In Perception (2004)
- Significant Academic Post: University of California, Berkeley
- Education: Columbia University, University of Oxford, Harvard University
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of his research?
His work centers on the theory of perception, consciousness, and the philosophy of mind, often incorporating insights from cognitive science and analytic phenomenology.
Where has he held academic teaching positions?
He has held faculty appointments at the University of California, Berkeley, the City University of New York, and the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of California, Berkeley, City University of New York and University of California, Santa Cruz
- Fields: consciousness, philosophy of mind and epistemology
.jpg)
