Ryan Pollock

Professional Bio

Education

PhD	The Pennsylvania State University Philosophy, Defended Successfully November 17, 2014 Graduation Expected May 2015
MA	The Pennsylvania State University Philosophy, 2013
BA	University of Dayton Philosophy with Spanish minor, 2009

Areas of Study

Areas of Specialization

• Hume (esp. Hume’s Ethics)
•  Early Modern Philosophy

Areas of Competence

• Applied Ethics (esp. Bioethics)
• Social and Political Philosophy
• Logic
• American Pragmatism

Dissertation

Title

“The Party of Humankind”: Sociality and Moral Revision in David Hume

Committee

Emily Grosholz (advisor), John Christman, Chris Long, Jonathan Marks (outside member)

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles

in press	Hume and the Problem of Paternalism: When is Humanity Sufficient? The Southern Journal of Philosophy.
in press	Co-authored with David W. Agler. Hume and Peirce on the Ultimate Stability of Belief. Pacific Philosophical Quarterly.
2014	Evaluating the State of Nature through Game Play. Teaching Philosophy 37(1): 57-72.

Book Reviews

2012	Review of Anik Waldow, David Hume and the Problem of Other Minds. Tradition and Discovery: The Polanyi Society Periodical 39(1): 76-9.

Conference Activity

Presentaions

2014	The Generosity and Capacity of Our Nature: Hume’s Reply to Hutcheson in the Treatise. Colloquium Presentation at the Eastern Division Meeting of the APA. Philadelphia, PA. December 27-30.
2013	Uniting Philosophical Painting and Anatomy through Hume’s Mitigated Skepticism. Lehigh University’s Inaugural Annual Philosophy Conference “The Last Chapter.” Bethlehem, PA. October 3-4.
2013	Hume and the Extension of Justice. 40th Annual Hume Society Conference. Belo Horizonte, Brazil. July 22-27.
2012	Using Games in the Philosophy Classroom. Nineteenth International Conference-Workshop on Teaching Philosophy. St. Edwards University, Austin, Texas. July 25-29.
2011	Stability and Skepticism: An Action-Based Interpretation of Hume’s Notion of Belief. Belief and Doubt in David Hume. Prague, Czech Republic. September 6-8.

Commentaries & Departmental Talks

2014	Commentary on Travis Timmerman’s Reconsidering Categorical Desire Views. First Annual Penn State Philosophy Graduate Student Organization Conference. University Park, PA. March 1-2.
2012	Hume and the Extension of Justice. Departmental talk given as part of Penn State Philosophy Research Colloquium. Penn State University. University Park, PA. October 5.

Awards

2015	Nominated for an Alumni Association Dissertation Award – Penn State Graduate Council Committee on Fellowships and Awards (application submitted, decision pending).
2014	Graduate Student Travel Stipend – Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association.
2014	Graduate Student Teaching Award – Penn State Department of Philosophy.
2014	Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award – Penn State Graduate School and the Office of the Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate Education.
2013	Hume Society Young Scholar Award – 40th Annual Hume Society Conference.
2013	Graduate Travel Funding Award – Penn State Department of Philosophy.
2012	Graduate Travel Funding Award – Penn State Department of Philosophy.
2011	Graduate Travel Funding Award – Penn State Department of Philosophy.
2009	University Fellowship – Penn State University.

Courses Taught

Full Responsibility

Spring 2015	Modern Philosophy
Spring 2015	Introduction to Ethics in Media and Journalism
Fall 2014	Basic Problems of Philosophy (2 sections)
Summer 2014	Basic Problems of Philosophy
Summer 2014	First Year Seminar in Philosophy/Bioethics
Spring 2014	Introduction to Bioethics (2 sections)
Summer 2013	Introduction to Ethics in Media and Journalism
Fall 2012	Philosophy, Politics, and Social Theory (2 sections)
Summer 2012	First Year Seminar in Philosophy/Bioethics
Spring 2012	Introduction to Bioethics (2 sections)
Fall 2011	Symbolic Logic
Summer 2011	Introduction to Philosophy of Law and Legal Ethics
Spring 2011	Persons, Moral Values, and the Good Life (2 sections)

 

Teaching Assistant

Fall 2010

Basic Problems of Philosophy (2 sections)

 Research Experience

2013	Research Assistant for the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State (Bioethics Initiative)

Departmental Service

Spring 2014	Bioethics Hiring Committee Graduate Student Representative
Fall 2012-Spring 2013	Graduate Student Secretary
Spring 2012	Tutor for Symbolic Logic (Online)
Spring 2012	Video Tutorial Assistant for Online Logic Class
Fall 2010-Spring 2012	Public Events Committee
Fall 2010-Spring 2012	Philosophy Research Colloquia Coordinator
Spring 2011	Recruitment Assistant
Spring 2010	Recruitment Assistant

Society Memberships

American Philosophical Association

The Hume Society

American Association of Philosophy Teachers