About Me
My research involves topics in ethics, sociality and emerging technologies, from social robotics to social media. I draw on ancient philosophy - primarily Chinese and Greek - in order to think about current problems. These historical accounts can help us to identify and understand values recognizable across widely varying contexts, in order to better think through ethical issues posed by emerging technologies. For example, a rich understanding of friendship can help us think about the risks and benefits of both connecting and disconnecting on social media, and a detailed account of the value of mourning and commemoration can assist with making sense of options for preserving digital remains after a person's death.
I am an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
I teach courses on Values and Technology, Environmental Ethics, Greek and Asian philosophy, and a variety of introductory courses, where my students and I encounter both established and emerging issues in philosophy.
My first book, Friendship, Robots, and Social Media: False Friends and Second Selves, came out in 2018.
It's available through Routledge and at major online book retailers.
When not philosophizing (and sometimes also while philosophizing), I hike, run, snowshoe, play tabletop games, and knit. I share my life with my spouse, two dogs, an elderly chicken, an abundance of houseplants and a community garden plot.