Research
Interests [Printable
CV]
AOS:
G. W. F. Hegel
(esp. Hegel’s Doctrine of Logic and Ontological
Argument)
Ontological Arguments and Modal Logical Systems
German Idealism
Late Modern, Early Continental Philosophy
AOC:
Metaphysics / Ontology (Ancient-Contemporary)
Philosophy of Religion (Ontological Arguments)
Formal/Symbolic Logic
Phenomenology (Time Consciousness)
Ethics/Biomedical Ethics
Interdisciplinary Studies and Research
Education
PhD Philosophy
Catholic
University of America,
Washington, D. C.
Dissertation "Hegel's Modal Ontological
Argument"
Defended 2018 (see below); Class
List
MA Religious Studies
Liberty University, Lynchburg,
VA
Concentration: Philosophy of Religion
Thesis; Class
List
(2009)
BA Biology / Art Theory & Practice
Northwestern
University, Evanston, IL
Concentration: Neurobiology
(1996)
Graduate Hours and Class Lists:
Doctorate
Program (Catholic Univ. of America)
Community Scholar Program (Univ. of
Virginia)
Masters Program (Liberty Univ.)
Dissertation
(Available in one click:
ProQuest Dissertations and
Theses)
Title:
HEGEL'S MODAL
ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
Committee:
Director:
Dr. Antón Barba-Kay
Readers:
Dr. Michael Rohlf and
Dr. Timothy Noone
Dissertation Summary:
(note: longer summary at end of CV)
Hegel broadens the
definition of Ontological Argument beyond
the normal scope of such arguments. He is no
theist himself, but he makes use of the argument
within his own philosophy. And although he
analyzes the ontological arguments of Anselm,
Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, and others, he also
presents his own ontological argument, but this is
not generally recognized. His argument is formal,
and his philosophy allows for a certain approach
to formal deduction, but this too is not generally
recognized. Finally, I conclude that Hegel's
argument is also, surprisingly but defensibly, a modal
deduction.
I defend these unusual claims by calling out
the formal characteristics of the argument through
textual analysis (Ch.I), defending the idea that
Hegel's philosophy allows for such an argument
(Ch.II), and revealing the ways in which it is
integrated into the rest of his philosophical
system (Ch.III). The conclusion (Ch.IV) is that
Hegel has given us the key to interpreting his
philosophy by fashioning his Absolute Identity
Thesis in the form of a modal disjunctive
syllogism that functions as an ontological
argument.
Other
Publications
and Presentations
Teaching
Experience
Professional
References
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