Thomas W. Polger

My work spans philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and metaphysics. I am interested in the sciences of the mind and the things they study. And I approach such questions by studying the relationships between explanations, models, and entities of different sciences—especially those of the cognitive and brain sciences.

As I see it, the questions that arise around the cognitive and brain sciences amount to a special case of the general puzzle of why we have various sciences rather than just one. Why is there anything but physics?

In the process of investigating questions about minds, brains, and sciences we may come to wonder about the kinds of theorizing that we do, and about the evidence and arguments that we employ. How do the methods of philosophy fit with other forms of inquiry. And how is philosophical knowledge possible?

Ph.D.: Duke University 2000 (Philosophy)

B.A.: Syracuse University 1992 (Selected studies in cognitive science)

Detailed information about Prof. Polger's research and publications, including online drafts, can be found on his web page.

Philosophy of mind/psychology; metaphysics

Phone: 5135566328