Chris Tillman

Department of Philosophy :: University of Manitoba :: 454 University College Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

http://sites.google.com/site/christillman/home :: chris.tillman@gmail.com :: Erdös Number: 6

 

Employment

Professor of Philosophy, University of Manitoba, 2019-present

Associate Professor of Philosophy (tenured), University of Manitoba, 2013-2019

Associate Professor of Philosophy (untenured), University of Manitoba, 2012-2013

Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Manitoba, 2007-2012

Lecturer, University of Manitoba, 2006-2007


Education

Ph.D., Philosophy, University of Rochester, 2007

M.A., Philosophy, University of Rochester, 2005

B.A. (Honors), Philosophy, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001


Areas

Metaphysics, Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Art, Logic, Epistemology


Publications

Edited Volume

2023 The Routledge Handbook of Propositions. (with Adam Murray) New York: Routledge.


Journal Articles and Book Chapters (* = invited)

Forthcoming. "The Morpheme Made Manifest." (with Joshua Spencer) Canadian Journal of Philosophy*

2024 "Creature Features: Character Production and Failed Explanations in Fiction, Folklore, and Theorizing." (with Joshua Spencer) Canadian Journal of Philosophy Themed Issue: Philosophy of Comics, 53(7-8): 640-655.*

2023 "The Metaphysics of Propositions: Foundational Issues, Historical Accounts, and Contemporary Theories." (with Adam Murray) The Routledge Handbook of Propositions.*

2023 "Hylomorphic Propositions." (with Ben Caplan and Eileen Nutting) The Routledge Handbook of Propositions.*

2020 "Advanced D&D (Dan Korman and Debunking)." (with Joshua Spencer) Analysis 80(3): 514-33.

2019 "Necessity of Origins and Multi-Origin Art." (with Joshua Spencer) Inquiry 62:7, 741-754.

2018 "Constitutive Essence and Partial Grounding." (with Eileen S. Nutting and Ben Caplan) Inquiry 61.2: 137-161.

2016 “Essence Facts and Explanation.” Thought 5(3): 190-195.

2016 “The Matter of Serial Fiction.” Res Philosophica 93(2): 425-439.

2015 “Not the Optimistic Type.” (with Ben Caplan, Brian McLean, and Adam Murray) In Hunter, D. and G. Rattan, eds. New Essays on the Nature of Propositions. London: Routledge.

2013 “Not the Optimistic Type.” (with Ben Caplan, Brian McLean, and Adam Murray) Canadian Journal of Philosophy 43(5-6): 575-589. Reprinted in 2015.

2013 “Benacerraf’s Revenge.” (with Ben Caplan) Philosophical Studies 116(1): 111-129.

2012 “Musical Materialism and the Inheritance Problem.” (with Joshua Spencer) Analysis 72(2): 252-259.

2012 “Propositions and Parthood: The Universe and Anti-Symmetry.” (with Gregory Fowler) Australasian Journal of Philosophy 90(3): 525-539.

2012 “Reconciling Justificatory Internalism and Content Externalism.” Synthese 187(2): 419-440.

2012 “Semantic Stipulation and Knowledge De Re.” (with Joshua Spencer) In W. Kabasenche, M. O’Rourke, and M. Slater, eds. Topics in Contemporary Philosophy Volume 10: Reference and Referring. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 119-148.

2011 “Musical Materialism.” British Journal of Aesthetics 51(1): 13-29.

2010 “Parts of Singletons.” (with Ben Caplan and Patrick Reeder) Journal of Philosophy 107(10): 501-33.

2005 “A Millian Propositional Guise for One Puzzling English Gal.” Analysis 65(3): 251-258.


Presentations (* = invited)

2025

May, "No Empty Names, No Problems?", Issues on the (Im)Possible XI, Bratislava, Slovakia

May, "No Empty Names, No Problems?" Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), Budapest, Hungary*

May, "No Empty Names, No Problems?" Bilkent University, Ankara, Türkiye*


2024

August, "Ontology of Art Without Abstracta (or Concreta)", (with Joshua Spencer) World Congress of Philosophy, Rome, Italy

July, "Ontology of Art Without Abstracta (or Concreta)", (with Joshua Spencer) American Society for Aesthetics Rocky Mountain Division Meeting, Santa Fe, NM

June, Comments on Peter Alward's "Loci of Fictional Properties: A Functional Account of Fictional Characters", CPA, McGill University, Montreal, QC


2023

October: "Science, Fiction", (with Joshua Spencer) WCPA, Vancouver, BC (Commentator: Christopher Mole)

August: "Creature Features", (with Joshua Spencer) PhilComiCon, CJP/Denison University, Columbus, OH*

August: "Lewis's Dilemma and Propositional Structure", (with Adam Murray) ECAP 11, Central European University, Vienna, Austria

July: "Creature Features", (with Joshua Spencer) American Society for Aesthetics Rocky Mountain Division Meeting, Santa Fe, NM

May: "The Metaphysics of Repeatable Artworks", Co-Predication and Property Versatility Workshop, Banff, AB*

2022

November: "Lewis's Dilemma and Propositional Structure", (with Adam Murray) Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY*

June: "Lewis's Dilemma and Propositional Structure", (with Adam Murray) 6th Italian Conference on Analytic Metaphysics and Ontology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy

2021

November: "Propositions Beyond Comprehension", WCPA, Victoria, BC (Commentator: Bryson Brown)

2019

June: “Creature Features”, (with Joshua Spencer) CPA, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC*

May: “E ↛ N”, (with Joshua Spencer and Adam Murray) University of Nevada, Las Vegas*

May: “The Matter of Serial Fiction”, Philosophy Club, University of Nevada, Las Vegas*

March: “E ↛ N”, (with Joshua Spencer and Adam Murray) University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS*

February: “E ↛ N”, (with Joshua Spencer and Adam Murray) University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee*

2018

October: Comments on Peter Alward's "Musical Ontology and the Question of Abstracta," WCPA, Calgary, AB*

2017

May: "Things Dreamt Of," (with Joshua Spencer), CPA/CSA, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON*

January: Comments on Jacob Archambault's "Powers Presentism," Eastern APA, Baltimore, MD*

2016

November: "Hylomorphic Propositions," (with Ben Caplan and Eileen Nutting), Metaphysics of Propositions Workshop, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB*

May: “Multi-Origin Art,” (with Joshua Spencer) CPA/CSA, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB*

2015

June: “Unperformable Works for Performance and Musical Ontology,” CPA/CSA, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON*

June: Comments on Timothy Juvshik, “Dodd on the Causal Efficacy of Abstracta,” CPA, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON*

May: “Brutal Propositions,” (with Ben Caplan), SEP, Hamilton, ON*

March: “The Matter of Serial Fiction,” Auburn Ontology of Art Workshop, Auburn, AL*

2014

October: “Gettier Cases and Skepticism about Induction,” Westwood Collegiate, Winnipeg, MB*

September: “The Matter of Serial Fiction,” Current Research in Metaphysics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB*

February: “A Plea for Moderate Brutalism,” (with Ben Caplan), Central APA, Chicago, IL (Commentator: Dilip Ninan)

February: “Dion, Theon, and Many Minds,” Philosophy Café, Grant Park High School, Winnipeg, MB*

2013

October: Comments on Alexey Aliyev, “Against Musical Perdurantism,” ASA, San Diego, CA*

October: “Not the Optimistic Type,” (with Ben Caplan and Adam Murray), WCPA, Winnipeg, MB (Commentator: Peter Hanks)

October: “A Plea for Moderate Brutalism,” (with Ben Caplan), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB*

June: “A Plea for Moderate Brutalism,” (with Ben Caplan), CPA, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC*

March: Comments on Meghan Sullivan, “An A-Theory without Tense Operators,” Theoretical Virtues in Metaphysics, WMU, Kalamazoo, MI*

2012

October: “King and Soames on Propositions,” (with Ben Caplan), WCPA, Victoria, BC (Commentator: Jill Isenberg)

October: Comments on James O. Young’s “The Poverty of Musical Ontology,” WCPA, Victoria, BC*

October: “King and Soames on Propositions,” (with Ben Caplan), SEP, Columbus, OH

May: “Maintaining Musical Materialism,” Art and Metaphysics Conference, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China*

2011

October: Comments on Octavian Ion’s “Frege Cases and the Efficacy of Broad Psychological Explanation,” WCPA, Lethbridge, AB*

August: “Russellianism and Representation” (with Ben Caplan), Syracuse Philosophy Annual Workshop and Network (SPAWN), Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY* (Commentator: Byeong Uk-Yi)

April: Comments on Tyler Hildebrand’s “Genuine Empirical Metaphysics,” Pacific APA, San Diego, CA*

April: “The World is Full of Possibilities,” University of Toronto, Toronto, ON*

April: Comments on Jeffrey Snapper’s “Why the Vagueness Argument is Unsound,” Central APA, Minneapols, MN*

2010

October: “We Are All Skeptics Now,” SkeptiCamp Winnipeg* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xsm4DQ5sE0I

October: Comments on Peter Alward’s “Description, Disagreement, and Fictional Names,” WCPA, Calgary, AB*

May: “Parts of Singletons” (with Ben Caplan), CPA, Concordia University, Montreal, QC

April-May: “Semantic Stipulation and Knowledge De Re” (with Joshua Spencer), INPC, Moscow, ID (Commentator: David Shier)

March: “Parts of Singletons” (with Ben Caplan and Patrick Reeder), Pacific APA, San Francisco, CA

March: “Metaphysics of Ordinary Objects,” UMFM Research Podcast* http://umanitoba.ca/news/blogs/blog/2010/03/17/campus-cast-chris-tillman/

March: “Propositions and Parthood: The Universe and Anti-Symmetry,” SEP, Kansas City, MO

February: “Propositions and Parthood: The Universe and Anti-Symmetry” (with Gregory Fowler), Central APA, Chicago, IL (Commentator: Cody Gilmore)

2009

October: Comments on Robert Hudson’s “Carnap, the Principle of Tolerance, and Empiricism,” WCPA, Regina, SK*

May: “Parts of Singletons” (with Ben Caplan), SEP, Edmonton, AB

February: “Musical Materialism,” Central APA, Chicago, IL (Commentator: Ben Caplan)

2008

October: “Propositions and Parthood: The Universe and Anti-Symmetry,” University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB*

June: Comments on Noa Latham’s “Fundamental Laws and Properties,” CPA, Vancouver, BC*

June: Comments on Arash Farzam-Kia’s “Don’t Bite That Metaphysical Bullet: Presentism, Eternalism, and Ontology,” CPA, Vancouver, BC*

May: “Necessarily, Everything Necessarily Exists,” SEP, Laramie, WY

April: “Necessarily, Everything Necessarily Exists,” Central APA , Chicago, IL(Commentator: Scott Berman)

March: “Necessarily, Everything Necessarily Exists,” SSPP, New Orleans, LA

2007

November: “Musical Materialism,” University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB*

October: “Priest on the Hooded Man Paradox,” WCPA, Saskatoon, SK

October: Comments on Derek Postnikoff’s “Martinich: Up to Scratch?” WCPA, Saskatoon, SK*

May: Comments on Sam Cowling’s “Advanced Modalizing and the Generality of Modality,” CPA, McGill University, Montreal, QC*

May: “Epistemic Contextualism and Semantic Blindness,” International Conference on Linguistics and Epistemology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland

April: “Semantic Stipulation and Knowledge De Re,” Central APA, Chicago, IL (Commentator: Bradley Armour-Garb)

March: “Semantic Stipulation and Knowledge De Re,” Linguistics Department Colloquium, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB*

January: “Semantic Stipulation and Knowledge De Re,” University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB*

2006

November: “Semantic Stipulation and Knowledge De Re,” World Philosophy Day Conference, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB*

April: “Contextualism, Iterated Attitude Reports, and Generality,” University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB*

March: “Counterfactuals and Context: If It Were the Case that Counterfactuals Behaved Differently in Indirect Reports, They Might be Context-Sensitive,” Pacific APA, Portland, OR (Commentator: Peter Alward)

2005

December: “Contextualism, Iterated Attitude Reports, and Generality,” Eastern APA, New York, NY (Commentator: Peter Ludlow)

October: “Contextualism, Iterated Attitude Reports, and Generality,” Creighton Club New York State Philosophical Association, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (Commentator: Roald Nashi)

October: Comments on Robert Hudson’s “The Empirical Basis to Skepticism,” WCPA, Winnipeg, MB*

October: “Contextualism, Iterated Attitude Reports, and Generality,” WCPA, Winnipeg, MB (Commentator: Catherine Manoukian)

April: “Epistemic Two-Dimensionalism, Primary Intensions, and Compositionality,” University of Rochester, Rochester, NY*

April: Comments on Julie Yoo’s “Objects, Kinds, and Coincidence,” Central APA, Chicago, IL*

February: “Another Paper on Content Externalism and Self-Knowledge,” 3rd Free University of Amsterdam Graduate Conference in Epistemology: Rational Belief and Knowledge, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

2004 

November: Comments on Anthony Coleman’s “Contextualism and Isolation,” University of Rochester Graduate Epistemology Conference, Rochester, NY*

February: “Contextualism is False,” Syracuse University Graduate Conference, Syracuse, NY (Commentator: Jeremy Pierce)


Teaching

University of Manitoba

2024 Winter: Contemporary Metaphysics: Hylomorphism, Objects, and Events

2024 Winter: Philosophical Psychology

2023 Fall: Philosophy of Religion

2023 Winter: Fundamentals of Philosophy of Language

2023 Winter: Introduction to Logic

2022 Fall: Metaphysics

2022 Winter: Intermediate Logic

2022 Winter: Metaphysics Seminar: Naming and Necessity

2021 Fall: Fundamentals of Philosophy of Language

2021 Winter: Introduction to Logic

2021 Winter: Intermediate Logic

2020 Winter: Metaphysics

2020 Winter: Metaphysics Seminar: The Metaphysics of Propositions 

2018 Winter: Metaphysics

2018 Winter: Intermediate Logic

2017 Fall: Philosophical Logic Seminar: Non-Classical Logic and Metaphysics

2017 Fall: Fundamentals of Philosophy of Language       

2017 Winter: Fundamentals of Philosophy of Language

2016 Fall: Metaphysics Seminar: Fictional Objects

2016 Fall: Metaphysics

2016 Winter: Fundamentals of Philosophy of Language

2015 Fall: Metaphysics Seminar: Objects: Nothing Out of the Ordinary

2015-2016: Introduction to Theory of Knowledge

2015 Winter: Metaphysics Seminar: New Work on Metaphysics of Propositions

2014-2015: Introduction to Theory of Knowledge

2014 Fall: Metaphysics

2014 Winter: Metaphysics Seminar: New Thinking about Propositions

2013 Fall: Metaphysics

2013-2014: Introduction to Logic

2013 Winter: Philosophy of Physics

2012-2013: Modern Logic and Philosophy of Logic

2012 Fall: Metaphysics Seminar: The Logic and Metaphysics of Intentionality

2012 Winter: Metaphysics Seminar: Modality without Worlds

2011-2012: Introduction to Theory of Knowledge

2011 Fall: Metaphysics

2011 Winter: Fundamentals of Philosophy of Language

2011 Winter: Logic Seminar: Logic for Philosophy

2010-2011: Introduction to Logic

2010 Fall: Metaphysics

2010 Winter: Introduction to Theory of Knowledge

2010 Winter: Metaphysics Seminar: The Structure of Objects

2008-2009: Introduction to Logic

2008-2009: Introduction to Theory of Knowledge

2008 Winter: Directed Readings in Philosophy of Language: Naming and Necessity and Beyond

2008 Winter: Fundamentals of Philosophy of Language

2008 Fall: Metaphysics Seminar: The Nature and Structure of Content

2007-2008: Introduction to Theory of Knowledge

2007 Fall: Epistemology Seminar: The Philosophy of Philosophy

2007 Summer: Directed Readings in Metaphysics: Metaphysics of Modality

2007 Winter: Critical Thinking

2007 Winter: Directed Readings in Metaphysics: Philosophy of Time

2006-2007: Introduction to Theory of Knowledge

 2006 Fall: Metaphysics Seminar: Existence and Nonexistence

 

University of Rochester

2006 Spring: Ancient Philosophy, Contemporary Problems

2005 Fall: Philosophical Problems of Space and Time

2005 Summer: Introduction to Logic

2005 Spring: Objects, Persons, and Identity

2004 Fall: Paradoxes

2004 Summer: Introduction to Logic

 

Graduate Supervision

2024: Christine Hildebrand, "Depression, Judgement, and Belief" Committee Member

2024: Gregory Glatz, "Perceptual Dogmatism and Undercutting Defeat" Supervisor

2022: Tumpa Bithy, "Millian Direct Reference Theory and the Problems Posed by Non-Referring Names" Co-supervisor (Program Assistant with the Economic Law and Policy Program at IISD)

2016: Ali Sarvi, “Truth in Fiction” Committee Member

2014: Damian Melamedoff, “Invariantist Nihilism” Supervisor (Ph.D., University of Toronto; Assistant Professor, NYU Shanghai)

2012: Jamie Hebert, “Moral Intuitionism” Committee Member (Tire Chalet COO)

2011: Curtis Kehler, “Time for a Change: A Refutation of Presentism” Supervisor (Instructor, Brandon University)

2011: Richard Ksiazek, “The Spatially Restricted Theory of Mereological Composition” Supervisor (Computer Sales Supervisor, University of Manitoba)

2010: John Dyck, “Did Bach Compose Musical Works? An Examination of Goehr’s Watershed Date” Committee Member (Ph.D. CUNY; Instructor, Auburn University)

2009: Justin Dallmann, “Confirming Metaphysics: A Generalization of the Paradox of Confirmation” Committee Member (Ph.D., University of Southern California; Data Scientist with the City of Winnipeg)

2009: Adam Murray, “The Metaphysics of Modality: Nature Realism” Supervisor (Ph.D. University of Toronto; Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba)

2007: Paul Daniels, “Traveler’s Dilemma” Committee Member (Ph.D. Monash University; Adjunct Research Affiliate, Monash University)


Professional Service

Refereeing (* = multiple assignments)

Conferences

Canadian Philosophical Association*, Canadian Society for Aesthetics*, Jury Member for CPA Student Essay Prize, CUNY Graduate Conference in Aesthetics*, American Philosophical Association (Pacific Division)*, Society for Exact Philosophy*, University of Rochester Graduate Epistemology Conference*, Western Canadian Philosophical Association*

Journals

Analysis, Australasian Journal of Philosophy*, British Journal of Aesthetics*, Canadian Journal of Philosophy*, dialectica*, Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review*, Ergo, Inquiry, Journal of Art and Art Criticism*, Journal of Philosophical Logic, Journal of Philosophical Research*, Journal of Philosophy, Metaphysics, Mind*, Noûs, Pacific Philosophical Quarterly*, Philosophical Papers, Philosophical Quarterly, Philosophical Studies*, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Synthese*

Encyclopediae

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy


Conference Organization

2025: Program Chair, Philosophy of Language, Canadian Philosophical Association Annual Meeting, George Brown College

2024: Program Chair, Philosophy of Language, Canadian Philosophical Association Annual Meeting, McGill University

2023: Program Chair, Philosophy of Language, Canadian Philosophical Association Annual Meeting, York University

2022: Co-organizer (with Adam Murray), 58th Annual Meeting of the Western Canadian Philosophical Association, University of Manitoba

2019: Program Committee Member, Pacific APA

2016: Organizer, Metaphysics of Propositions Workshop, University of Manitoba

2016: Organizer, Joint Symposium of the Canadian Philosophical Association and the Canadian Society for Aesthetics, University of Calgary

2014: Program Chair, Epistemology, Canadian Philosophical Association Annual Meeting, Brock University

2013: Organizer, 50th Annual Meeting of the Western Canadian Philosophical Association, University of Manitoba

2011: Co-organizer (with Esa Diaz-Leon), 39th Annual Meeting of the Society for Exact Philosophy, University of Manitoba

2010: Co-organizer (with Dwayne Raymond), Joint University of Manitoba-University of Regina Graduate Philosophy Symposium, University of Regina

2010: Organizer, Canadian Philosophical Association Philosophy in the Schools Roundtable

2008: Co-organizer (with Karen Zoppa), Canadian Philosophical Association Philosophy in the Schools Roundtable

2004: Organizer, University of Rochester Graduate Epistemology Conference


Departmental Service

2025: Graduate Studies Chair

2023-24: Instructor I/II Search Committee

2023-present: Budget Committee

2023-present: CPAC Committee

2023-present: Philosophy Credit Evaluation Committee

2023: OA4 Search Committee

2022: AA1 Search Committee

2021-2024: Graduate Studies Chair

2021: Search Committee

2017-18: Search Committee

2015-18: Graduate Studies Chair

2015: Acting Graduate Studies Chair

2013: Philosophy Headship Search Committee

2012: Associate Department Head

2011-2013: Marking Vetting Committee

2011: Acting Graduate Studies Chair

2009-15: Graduate Studies Committee

2007-08: Search Committee

2006-15: Philosophy Colloquium Committee

2006-10: Comprehensive Exam Committee (Metaphysics, Philosophy of Language, Philosophical Logic, Epistemology)

2006-07: Search Committee


University Service

2022-present: Arts Faculty Council

2020-present: Tenure and Promotion Committee

2018-present: Arts Policy Committee

2013-2015: Arts Nominating Committee

2010-2012: Teaching Excellence Committee

2010-2012: Arts Research Council

2011-2012: Local Discipline Committee


Community Service

2007-present: Philosophy in the Schools Manitoba Initiative