CV
Matthew D. Walker
Yale-NUS College
Cendana College Office
28 College Avenue West #01-501
Singapore 138533
matthew.walker<{at\>yale-nus.edu.sg; mattwalker2000<{at>>gmail <DOT} com
sites.google.com/site/mattwalker2000
Academic Positions
Associate Professor of Humanities (Philosophy), Yale-NUS College (2018-; with tenure). Assistant Professor (2012-2018). Courtesy appointment, Philosophy, National University of Singapore.
ACLS New Faculty Fellow, Philosophy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick (2010-2012).
Visiting Scholar, Philosophy, New York University (2009-2010).
Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Ethics of Virtue, Philosophy, University of Miami (2008-2009).
Education
Yale University (2002-2008)
Ph.D., Philosophy, December 2008; M.Phil., December 2005; M.A., December 2003.
Amherst College (1991-1995)
B.A., magna cum laude, Philosophy, May 1995.
Areas of Specialization
Ancient Greek Philosophy; Ethics (esp. Comparative)
Areas of Competence
Early Chinese Philosophy; Philosophy and Film; 19th- and 20th-Century European Philosophy (esp. Nietzsche); Philosophy of Law
Book
Aristotle on the Uses of Contemplation (Cambridge University Press, May 2018 [hardcover]; January 2020 [paperback]).
Articles
"Aristotelian Naturalism, Zhu Xi, and the Goodness of Human Nature." Australasian Philosophical Review (forthcoming).
“Aristotle’s Eudemus and the Propaedeutic Use of the Dialogue Form.” Journal of the History of Philosophy 59 (2021): 399-427. (Winner of the 2021 Journal of the History of Philosophy Best Article Prize.)
“Aristotle, Isocrates, and Philosophical Progress: Protrepticus 6, 40.15-20/B55.” History of Philosophy & Logical Analysis 23 (2020): 197-224. (Special issue: “Ancient Modes of Philosophical Inquiry,” edited by Jens Kristian Larsen and Philipp Steinkrüger.)
“Socrates’ Lesson to Hippothales in Plato’s Lysis.” Classical Philology 115 (2020): 551-565.
“The Appeal to Easiness in Aristotle’s Protrepticus.” Ancient Philosophy 39 (2019): 319-333.
“Punishment and Ethical Self-Cultivation in Confucius and Aristotle.” Law and Literature 31 (2019): 259-275. (Special issue: “Law and Humanities in China,” edited by Marco Wan.)
“Knowledge, Action, and Virtue in Zhu Xi.” Philosophy East and West: A Quarterly of Comparative Philosophy 69 (2019): 515-534.
“How Narrow is Aristotle’s Contemplative Ideal?” Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 94 (2017): 558-583.
“Aristotle on the Utility and Choiceworthiness of Friends.” Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie 96 (2014): 151-182.
“Reconciling the Stoic and Sceptic: Hume on Philosophy as a Way of Life and the Plurality of Happy Lives.” British Journal for the History of Philosophy 21 (2013): 879-901.
“Rehabilitating Theoretical Wisdom.” Journal of Moral Philosophy 10 (2013): 763-787.
“Aristotle on Activity ‘According to the Best and Most Final’ Virtue.” Apeiron: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Science 44 (2011): 91-110.
“Contemplation and Self-Awareness in the Nicomachean Ethics.” Rhizai: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Science 7 (2010): 221-238.
“The Utility of Contemplation in Aristotle’s Protrepticus.” Ancient Philosophy 30 (2010): 135-153.
Book Chapters
“Aristotle on Wittiness,” in Laughter, Humor, and Comedy in Ancient Philosophy, ed. Pierre Destrée and Franco Trivigno (Oxford University Press, 2019), 103-121 (invited).
“Non-Impositional Rule in Confucius and Aristotle,” in The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy, ed. Alexus McLeod (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), 187-204 (invited).
“The Functions of Apollodorus,” in Plato in Symposium: Selected Papers from the Tenth Symposium Platonicum, ed. Mauro Tulli and Michael Erler (Academia Verlag, 2016), 110-116.
“Confucian Worries about the Aristotelian Sophos,” in Moral and Intellectual Virtues in Western and Chinese Philosophy: The Turn Toward Virtue, ed. Chienkuo Mi, Michael Slote, and Ernest Sosa (Routledge, 2016), 196-213 (invited).
“Structured Inclusivism about Human Flourishing: A Mengzian Formulation,” in Virtue Ethics and Confucianism, ed. Stephen Angle and Michael Slote (Routledge, 2013), 94-102 (invited).
Book Reviews
Review of David Ebrey, Plato’s Phaedo: Forms, Death, and the Philosophical Life. Australasian Journal of Philosophy (forthcoming; invited).
Review of Erick Raphael Jiménez, Aristotle’s Concept of Mind. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, January 10, 2018 https://ndpr.nd.edu/reviews/aristotles-concept-of-mind (invited).
Review of Wm. Theodore de Bary, The Great Civilized Conversation: Education for a World Community. The Journal of Asian Studies 74 (2015): 455-456 (invited).
Review of Jon Miller (ed.), Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics: A Critical Guide. Polis: The Journal of Ancient Greek Political Thought 30 (2013): 176-180 (invited).
Review of Joel J. Kupperman, Theories of Human Nature. Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 11 (2012): 253-257 (invited).
Review of Paula Gottlieb, The Virtue of Aristotle’s Ethics. Journal of the History of Philosophy 48 (2010): 399-400.
Awards and Fellowships
Journal of the History of Philosophy 2021 Best Article Prize (for "Aristotle's Eudemus and the Propaedeutic Use of the Dialogue Form").
Humanities and Social Science (HSS) Faculty Research Fellowship, National University of Singapore, 2022-2023 (one semester research leave).
Yale-NUS Teaching Innovation Grant, “Exploring Philosophy as a Way of Life Pedagogy,” Yale-NUS College, 2019-2020.
Yale-NUS Small Research Grant, “Love, Immortality, and Virtue: Themes in Plato and Aristotle,” Yale-NUS College, 2016-2019.
Yale-NUS Teaching Innovation Grant, “Teaching Philosophy Writing,” Yale-NUS College, 2016-2017.
Yale-NUS Visiting Fellow, Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, Michaelmas term, 2014.
American Council of Learned Societies New Faculty Fellowship, 2010-2012. (In the 2009-2010 application season, I was the only philosopher selected for this fellowship from a pool of 800 nominees in the humanities.)
National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar Fellowship for “Traditions into Dialogue: Confucianism and Contemporary Virtue Ethics,” Wesleyan University, July 7-August 15, 2008.
Jacob Cooper Essay Prize in Ancient Greek Philosophy, Yale University, 2008 (shared); 2006; 2005 (shared); 2004; 2003 (shared).
John F. Enders Research Fellowship, Yale University, 2007.
Graduate Student Assembly Conference Travel Fund Award, Yale University, 2007.
Forris Jewett Moore and Sterling P. Lamprecht Fellowships in Philosophy, Amherst College, 2004-2007.
Invited Colloquia and Conference Presentations
“The Soul’s Retreat from Death: Re-reading Socrates’ Final Argument in Plato’s Phaedo.” New York University Abu Dhabi Philosophy Colloquium, Abu Dhabi, UAE, April 22, 2024.
“Socrates on Separation of Soul from Body in the Phaedo’s Defense Speech.” International Society of Socratic Studies Virtual Colloquium, February 15, 2024 (online).
“Cross-Cultural Reflections on ‘Bodily Excellence.’” International Conference on “How Legitimate is the Philosophical Canon? Concrete Applications from Greek and Chinese Philosophies.” Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, October 31, 2023.
“Friendship in Early Confucian, Socratic, and Aristotelian Thought.” The Seeds of Virtue in Ancient Greece and China Summer School, Delphi, Greece, July 17, 2023.
“Aristotle on Individual and Polis: Pandemic Policies for Political Animals.” For a panel on “Individual Freedom, Collective Responsibility” at the Aristotle-Confucius Symposium on Ethics for the 21st-Century, Academy of Athens, Greece, July 3, 2023. (Panel chair.)
“Generating Virtue through Eliciting Desire in the Analects and Symposium.” International Hybrid Workshop on “Ruling and Teaching in Socrates and Confucius,” University of Crete, May 15, 2023 (online).
"The Phaedo's Recollection Argument and the Soul's Disposition to Know." University of New South Wales Philosophy Department, Sydney, Australia, April 24, 2023.
“Kaibara Ekken on Making Room for Disagreement.” East-West Philosophy Forum, Singapore Management University, Singapore, January 12, 2023.
“Socrates and Procreation in Plato’s Phaedo.” University of Crete Ancient Philosophy Seminar, November 14, 2022 (online).
“Aristotle, Experts, and the Problem of the Excluded Multitude.” Workshop on “Ancient Wisdom for Modern Challenges,” United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Academy of Athens, Greece, July 7, 2022.
“Aristotle and Kaibara Ekken on the Ethics of Disagreement.” Workshop on “Problematizing Harmony, Disrupting Harmony: Perspectives from Philosophical Traditions,” Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, May 19, 2022.
“Socrates and Confucius on Self-Cultivation for Leadership.” Distinguished Talk, MBA Social Impact Week, China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Shanghai, China (online), April 26, 2022.
“The Soul’s Retreat from Death: Re-reading Socrates’ Final Argument in Plato’s Phaedo.” New England Symposium on Ancient Philosophy (online), March 10, 2022.
“Happiness, the Human Function, and the Virtues in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics I and II.” Tokyo Metropolitan University Philosophy Department, Tokyo, Japan, December 11, 2019.
“Why Comparative Global Ancient Philosophy?: A Sketch of One View.” Yale-NUS/Princeton Comparative Global Antiquity Workshop, Yale-NUS College, August 2, 2019.
“Aristotle on the Prospects for Philosophical Progress.” Sixth Metaphilosophy Workshop, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan, July 23, 2019.
“Aristotle on Philosophical Progress and the Feasibility of Contemplation.” Invited symposium on “Inheriting Aristotle’s Intellectualism: Contemplation, Sophia, and their Contribution to Eudaimonia.” Eastern APA, New York, NY, January 10, 2019.
“A Lecture on Aristotle’s De Anima II.” Tokyo Metropolitan University Philosophy Department, Tokyo, Japan, December 19, 2018.
“Xunzi and Late Foucault’s ‘Aesthetics of Existence.’” International Workshop on Chinese Philosophy, Yale-NUS College, Singapore, October 25, 2018.
“Psychic Immortality in Aristotle’s Eudemus?” University of Pennsylvania Classical Studies Department, Philadelphia, PA, September 27, 2018.
Presentation on Aristotle on the Uses of Contemplation to Susan Sauvé Meyer’s graduate seminar, “Aristotle’s Ethics,” University of Pennsylvania Philosophy Department, Philadelphia, PA, September 25, 2018.
“Aristotle on the Easiness of Philosophy.” University of Hong Kong Philosophy Department, Hong Kong, November 9, 2017.
“Punishment and Ethical Self-Cultivation: An Ancient Philosophical Dialogue.” International Workshop on “Law and Humanities: International Dialogues,” University of Hong Kong-Yale Center Beijing, Beijing, China, May 8, 2017.
“Non-Ordering Rule in Confucius and Aristotle.” International Workshop on “Ideals of Leadership in Ancient Greece, Rome, and China,” Singapore University of Technology and Design, February 17, 2017.
“Aristotle on ‘Living by’ an Authoritative Function.” Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, November 16, 2016.
“Self-Knowledge and the Scala Naturae in Aristotle.” International Workshop on “Moral Responsibility and Self-Knowledge,” Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, November 11-12, 2016.
“Aristotle on Wittiness.” International Workshop on “Laughter and Comedy in Ancient Philosophy,” University of Oslo, Norway, June 16-17, 2016.
“Zhu Xi on Knowing for the Sake of Acting.” Taipei-Shanghai Intercity Workshop in Philosophy on “Knowledge and Action,” Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan, April 18-19, 2016.
“Aristotle on Wittiness.” International Workshop on “Virtue and Emotion in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics IV.5-9,” Union College, Schenectady, NY, October 17, 2015.
“Aristotle on the Easiness of Philosophy.” Workshop in Ancient Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, May 21, 2015.
“Confucian Criticisms of Aristotelian Intellectualism.” Conference on “The Virtue Turn: Virtue Epistemology, Virtue Ethics, and Chinese Philosophy,” Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan, May 15-17, 2014.
“Aristotle, Contemplation, and Pluralism.” National University of Singapore Political Science Department, Singapore, February 20, 2014.
“Aristotle on the Ease of Philosophy.” National University of Singapore Philosophy Department, Singapore, December 5, 2013.
“Aristotle on the Ease of Philosophy.” Nanyang Technological University Philosophy Department, Singapore, November 8, 2013.
“Confucian Criticisms of Aristotle’s Intellectualism.” Invited panel on “Virtue as Knowledge: Dialogues Cross Traditions,” International Society for Comparative Studies of Chinese and Western Philosophy, Eastern APA, Atlanta, GA, December 28, 2012.
“Aristotle on the Ease of Philosophy.” Rutgers University Classics Department, April 10, 2012.
“Aristotle, Contemplation, and Pluralism.” Yale-NUS College (Singapore), February 18, 2012.
“Aristotle on the Utility and Final Value of Friends.” University of Hong Kong Philosophy Department, Hong Kong, February 14, 2012.
“Emerging Themes and Methods in the Study of Ancient Philosophy.” Fellows Panel, American Council of Learned Societies Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., May 6, 2011. (One of three invited ACLS fellows.)
“Rehabilitating Theoretical Wisdom.” Yale Working Group in Ancient Philosophy, April 15, 2011.
“Friends, Utility, and Final Value: A Problem in Nicomachean Ethics IX.9.” Rutgers University Philosophy and Classics Departments, March 31, 2011.
“Theoretical Wisdom and Contemporary Virtue Ethics.” Conference on “Eudaimonia and Virtue: Reconsidering the Good Life,” University of Miami, February 26, 2011.
“Friends, Utility, and Final Value: A Problem in Nicomachean Ethics IX.9.” Wellesley College Philosophy Department, January 27, 2011.
“Friends, Utility, and Final Value: A Problem in Nicomachean Ethics IX.9.” Florida State University Philosophy Department, January 21, 2011.
“Friends, Utility, and Final Value: A Problem in Nicomachean Ethics IX.9.” University of Miami Philosophy Department, November 19, 2010.
“Eudemian Ethics II.1-2.” New York Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy, New York, NY, October 9, 2010.
“Structured Inclusivism about Human Flourishing: A Mengzian Formulation.” International Conference on Confucianism and Contemporary Virtue Ethics, Peking University, Beijing, China, May 14-16, 2010.
“Self-Knowledge and Contemplation in Nicomachean Ethics VIII-X.” St. Thomas University Philosophy Department (Canada), January 14, 2010.
“Structured Inclusivism about Human Flourishing: A Non-Aristotelian Approach.” Invited symposium on “Virtue Ethics with a Cross-Cultural Perspective.” Pacific APA, Vancouver, B.C., April 9, 2009. (Read in absentia.)
“The Utility of Contemplation in Aristotle’s Protrepticus.” Boston University Philosophy Department, January 15, 2009.
“Aristotle on the Utility of ‘Useless’ Contemplation.” University of Miami Philosophy Department, January 18, 2008.
Refereed Conference Presentations
“Immortality as the End of the Virtuous Life: Considering Diotima’s Lesson in Plato’s Symposium.” 6th Aretai Conference on “Virtue Ethics and the Ends of Moral Action.” Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy, September 30, 2022.
“Isocrates, Aristotle, and the Possibility of Philosophical Progress.” International Conference on “Philosophy in its Ancient Beginnings: On the Conceptualization, Criticism, and Justification of Philosophy in Antiquity,” Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany, July 21, 2017.
“Psychic Immortality in Aristotle’s Eudemus?” SAGP/SSIPS Annual Joint Meeting, New York, NY, October 29, 2016.
“Zhu Xi on Knowing for the Sake of Acting.” SAGP/SSIPS Annual Joint Meeting, New York, NY, October 29, 2016.
“Socrates’ Final Symposium.” International Plato Society XI Symposium Platonicum on Plato’s Phaedo. Brasilia, Brazil, July 4-8, 2016.
“Aristotle on Wittiness.” Conference on “Neglected Virtues,” in honor of Rosalind Hursthouse. University of Auckland, New Zealand, August 14, 2015.
“Platonic Fantasy or Platonic Insight?: Contemplating Beauty and Generating Virtue in the Symposium.” 4th Logos and Aretê Conference, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan, May 31, 2014.
“Socrates on How to Converse with a Beloved: Examining Some Advice in the Lysis.” International Plato Society Asia Regional Conference on “Plato and Rhetoric,” Keio University, Tokyo, Japan, April 26, 2014.
“An Aristotelian Argument for Philosophy’s Ease.” Pacific APA, San Diego, CA, April 19, 2014.
“The Functions of Apollodorus.” International Plato Society X Symposium Platonicum on Plato’s Symposium. Pisa, Italy, July 16, 2013.
“Platonic Fantasy or Platonic Insight?: Contemplating Beauty and Generating Virtue in the Symposium.” Metaphysical Society of America Conference on “Ethics and Metaphysics, East and West.” Worcester, MA, April 12-13, 2013.
“A Pluralist Objection to Aristotle’s Account of the Human Good: A Response.” Pacific APA, San Francisco, CA, March 28, 2013.
“Aristotle on the Ease of Philosophy.” 36th Annual Ancient Philosophy Workshop, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, March 23, 2013.
“Aristotle on the Ease of Philosophy.” SAGP/SSIPS Joint Annual Meeting, New York, NY, October 20, 2012.
“‘Platonic Fantasy’ or Platonic Insight?: Wisdom and True Virtue in the Symposium.” International Plato Society Regional Conference on “Plato’s Moral Psychology,” Ann Arbor, MI, October 5, 2012.
“Aristotle, Contemplation, and Pluralism.” SAGP/SSIPS Annual Joint Meeting, New York, NY, October 22, 2011.
“Aristotle on the Conditional Final Value of Friends.” Pacific APA, San Diego, CA, April 23, 2011. (Finalist for the APA Jean Hampton Prize in Ethics.)
“Theoretical Wisdom and Contemporary Virtue Ethics.” Conference on “New Perspectives on Virtue and Vice,” Center for Advanced Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany, February 4-5, 2011.
“Nutrition and Perception in De Anima III.12: A Puzzle.” SAGP/SSIPS Annual Joint Meeting, New York, NY, October 16, 2010.
“Practice, Theory, and the Divine in Aristotle’s Protrepticus B46-B51.” IX International Bariloche Colloquium of Philosophy (on Metaphilosophy), Bariloche, Argentina, October 1-3, 2008. (Paper abstract accepted; unable to attend.)
Conference Commentaries and Workshop Participation
Comments on Jungsuk Lee, "Aristotle on the Rationality of Recollection." Pacific APA, San Francisco, CA, April 5, 2023.
Participant and presenter, Online Reading Group on Aristotle’s Protrepticus, March 22-24, 2021.
Participant, Mellon Philosophy as a Way of Life Network Workshop, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, June 17-21, 2019.
Comments on Wang Qingjie, “Symmetric Nature of Ethics and Confucian Harmonious Appropriation of Self with Others.” International Workshop on “Conceptions of Harmony in Chinese Thought,” Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, December 15, 2018.
Participant, Workshop on “Globalizing the Liberal Arts,” Yale University, June 6-9, 2016.
Participant, Joint Yale-NUS/NUS/Kyoto University Workshop on Early 20th-Century Asian Engagements with Kantian and Post-Kantian Western Philosophy, Yale-NUS College, February 15-18, 2014.
Comments on Sean Drysdale Walsh, "Are We All Obligated to Become Fully Virtuous on Classical Confucian and Aristotelian Ethics?" Association of Chinese Philosophers in North America, Eastern APA, Baltimore, MD, December 28, 2013.
Participant, Yale University/King’s College London Republic VI Reading Seminar, Yale University, June 18-22, 2012.
Comments on Scott Sehon, “Teleology and Free Will.” Conference on Aristotle and Philosophy of Action, Greater Philadelphia Philosophy Colloquium, St. Joseph’s University, March 24, 2012.
Comments on Anthony Carreras, “Aristotle on Other-Selfhood and Reciprocal Shaping.” Eastern APA, Washington D.C., December 30, 2011.
Participant, University of Toronto Ancient Philosophy Workshop on “Aspects of Aristotelian Ethics.” March 26-27, 2011.
Comments on Anthony Carreras, “Motivation and the Self in Aristotle’s Account of Philia,” Eastern APA, Boston, MA, December 29, 2010.
Participant. Yale University/King’s College London Republic IV Reading Seminar, Yale University, June 15-19, 2010.
Comments on Mary Clare McKinley, “Art that Embodies the Disembodied: Photography and Greek Funerary Sculpture.” American Society of Aesthetics, Eastern Division, Philadelphia, PA, April 15, 2010.
Participant. Yale University/King’s College London Republic III Reading Seminar, King’s College London, June 15-19, 2009.
Comments on Mary Krizan, “Material Cause without Matter?” Eastern APA, Philadelphia, December 30, 2008.
Participant/minutes-taker. Yale University/King’s College London Republic II Reading Seminar, Yale University, June 9-13, 2008.
Teaching Experience
National University of Singapore
PH3222: Greek Philosophy: Aristotle (Spring 2024)
Yale-NUS College
Electives
YHU4272: Aristotle on Happiness: the Nicomachean Ethics (Fall 2023)
YHU4266: Plato on Love and Death (Spring 2023)
YHU2303: The Aesthetics of Fear: Horror and the Philosophy of Art (Spring 2020, Spring 2023).
YHU2279: Philosophy as a Way of Life (Spring 2018; Spring 2021; Fall 2023).
YHU3245: Aristotle (Spring 2017).
YHU2252: Ancient Greek Philosophy (Fall 2016; Fall 2018).
YSS2208: Ancient Greek Political Philosophy (Spring 2016; took over course mid-semester).
YHU2225: Love and Friendship (Fall 2015).
YHU2213: Philosophy of Law (Spring 2015).
Common Curriculum
YHU3294: Historical Immersion: Socrates on Trial (Spring 2019; Spring 2020; Spring 2021; Spring 2024).
YCC1113/1114: Philosophy and Political Thought I and II (one section each in AY 2013-2014, 2016-2017, and 2018-2019; one section of PPT II in Spring 2015, 2016; two sections of PPT I in Fall 2019, 2020, and 2021). Lectured on Mengzi, Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, the Bhagavad Gita, Zhu Xi, Lucrezia Marinella, and political thinkers of the May 4th Movement.
Capstone advising
AY 2023-24: Lee Jin Shaun, “Constructing Morality: An Assessment and Defense of Metaethical Constructivism.” Low Wen Jie Zachary, “Whom is an Aesthetic Life Lived for?: Evaluating a Communitarian Account of Aesthetic Normativity.”
AY 2022-23: Semester 2: Han Tong Joon Mitchell: “Want Friends? Pursue Virtue: An Argument for Friendship as a Reason to Be Virtuous.”
AY 2021-22: Semester 1: Amirul Hakim (on Confucian bioethics and parental autonomy); Rachel Lim (on ethics of vaccine distribution).
AY 2020-2021: Joseph Fernandez, “The Illusion of Goodness: Unifying the Socratic, Platonic, and Aristotelian Accounts of Akrasia”; Wen Xianda, “Memes as Philosophy: A New Problem of Paraphrase”; Jason Yeung Chun Yat, “Western Suits and Confucian Roots: Philosophical Perspectives on Liberal Education in Asia” (co-advisor).
AY 2019-2021: Michael Smith, “Fighting Bob’s Democracy: The Compelling Case for La Follette Progressivism”; Chong Ren Jie, “Turning a Blind Eye: Exploring the Conceptions of Wilful Blindness in Singapore” (Law and Liberal Arts capstone; secondary advisor); Ngia Jin Liang Louis, “The Fairness of Tort Law: Luck in Tort and Moral Judgment” (Law and Liberal Arts capstone; secondary advisor).
AY 2018-2019: Wee Jerrick, “Nietzsche: Axiology and the Question of Culture.”
AY 2016-2017: Abel Ang, “Nietzsche’s Aesthetic Ethics” (Fall 2016); Ng Sai Ying, “The Myth of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus” (Spring 2017).
Week 7
Placemaking RC4 (a one-week interdisciplinary course, co-taught with Jane M. Jacobs, Professor of Social Science [Urban Studies]; Fall 2013).
Ph.D. examining (National University of Singapore)
Daryl Ooi, “Hume’s Fragment on Evil and Its Contribution to Understanding Hume’s Philosophy of Religion” (August 2023).
Gabrièle Escoffier, "The Ways of Power: Morality and Politics in Han Fei and Thomas Hobbes" (April 2023).
So Young Moon, “Early Confucian Ethical Reasoning between Generality and Particularity” (October 2017).
Rutgers University
Philosophy 301: Socrates and Plato (Spring 2012; upper-level undergraduate).
Philosophy 521: Seminar in Aristotle: The Ethics of Aristotle (Fall 2011; graduate seminar).
Philosophy 493: Independent Study: Ancient Chinese Ethics (Fall 2011; upper-level undergraduate).
Philosophy 341: Ethics through History (Spring 2011; upper-level undergraduate).
Philosophy 208: Philosophy of the Greeks (Spring 2011; Spring 2012; lower-level undergraduate).
Philosophy 401: Plato: Plato on Love and Friendship (Fall 2010; upper-level undergraduate).
Fordham University
Philosophy 1100: Philosophical Ethics (Spring 2010, one section; Fall 2009, two sections; lower-level undergraduate [as instructor]).
University of Miami
Philosophy 571/671: Aristotle on Happiness (Spring 2009; graduate seminar).
Philosophy 494: Independent Study: Ancient Skepticism (Spring 2009; upper-level undergraduate).
Philosophy 271: Ancient Philosophy (Fall 2008; lower-level undergraduate).
Yale University (as Teaching Fellow)
Philosophy 326/Religion 820: Philosophy of Religion (Fall 2006)/John Hare.
Philosophy 207: Nietzsche (Spring 2006)/James Kreines.
Philosophy 175: Introduction to Ethics (Fall 2005)/Shelly Kagan.
Philosophy 325: Philosophy of Law (Spring 2005)/Jules L. Coleman.
Philosophy 125: Introduction to Ancient Philosophy (Fall 2004)/Keimpe Algra.
Outreach, Interviews, and Miscellaneous
“Is Human Nature Good, Bad, or Neither?” NUSClassics (an undergraduate student group), NUS College, October 18, 2023.
“Aristotle on Human Nature and Ethics.” Guest lecture for Comparative Philosophy, National University of Singapore, August 28, 2024.
Interview with John Wynne, Journal of the History of Philosophy Podcast, February 28, 2023.
“Contemplating Aristotle on Contemplation.” Interview with Richard Marshall for 3:16 AM, August 14, 2022.
Interview with Malcolm Keating, Sutras & Stuff Podcast, April 15, 2022.
“Living and Dying Well: Thinking about Flourishing and Mortality with Ancient World Philosophical Traditions” (with Dr. Natalie Woong [SingHealth]). Introduction to Medical Humanities Certification Course, Duke-NUS Medical School. June 11, 2021.
“Living Ideas: Immersive Assignments and their Learning Outcomes” (with Bart Van Wassenhove [University Scholars Programme, National University of Singapore]). Cinnamon College, National University of Singapore, January 29, 2020.
“Some Ancient Greek Philosophical Views about Technê as a Model for Ethics.” Tembusu College Fellow’s Tea and guest lecture for Eric Kerr’s seminar, “Technology and the Fate of Knowledge,” University Scholars Programme, National University of Singapore, January 28, 2020.
Judge and panelist, Hwa Chong First Invitational Philosophy Olympiad, Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore, August 4, 2018.
Panelist, Discussion of “Why I Hope to Die at 75.” Symposium on “Meaningful Endings/Purposeful Aging: Art, Science, and Innovation.” Yale-NUS College, April 11, 2018.
“Aristotle’s Introduction to Wisdom: Metaphysics A.1-2.” Yale-NUS College seminar for visiting Kyoto University philosophy students, February 18, 2017.
“Aristotle on Contemplation, Friendship, and Happiness.” The HUMANed’s “Being Human” public philosophy series, Singapore, November 26, 2016.
“Aristotle on Soul and Body: De Anima, Protrepticus, and Eudemus.” Yale-NUS College seminar for visiting Kyoto University philosophy students, February 24, 2016.
“Kant on the Ethics of Capital Punishment,” Yale-NUS Philosophy Café, February 3, 2016.
“Ancient Philosophical Perspectives on Liberal Education.” Guest lecture for Route H, a college preparatory program for Japanese secondary school students, Yale-NUS College, August 3, 2015.
Contributed an introductory mini-lecture on Mengzi to Wi-Phi (Wireless Philosophy), a non-profit producer of ad-free, open-source philosophy lessons for Khan Academy (2014).
“Aristotle and Romero on Zombies, Happiness, and Consumption,” in The Undead and Philosophy, ed. Richard Greene and K. Silem Mohammed (Open Court, 2006), 81-89. Excerpted as “Our Zombies, Our Selves” at Popmatters.com, October 26, 2008. Reprinted in Zombies, Vampires, and Philosophy (Open Court, 2010; a retitled edition).
Professional Service and Activities
Organizing committee, The Seeds of Virtue in Ancient Greece and China. Summer school at the European Cultural Center of Delphi, sponsored by the University of Crete in collaboration with the Centre of Greek and Chinese Ancient Civilizations, July 12-17, 2023.
Journal referee for American Philosophical Quarterly; Analysis; Ancient Philosophy (4x); Apeiron (3x); Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie (3x); Australasian Journal of Philosophy (2x); British Journal for the History of Philosophy (2x); Canadian Journal of Philosophy; Classical Philology; Dao (2x); Ergo; History of Philosophy Quarterly (4x); Journal of Hellenic Studies; Journal of Philosophical Research (2x); Journal of the American Philosophical Association; Journal of the History of Ideas; Journal of the History of Philosophy (2x); Journal of Value Inquiry; Mind; Philosophers’ Imprint; Philosophy; Philosophy East and West (4x); Philosophy and Phenomenological Research; Polis; Review of Metaphysics; Sophia; Southern Journal of Philosophy
Book referee for Cambridge University Press (2x), Oxford University Press, and University of Pennsylvania Press; book proposal referee for Lexington Books, Polity Press, and Routledge (2x).
Fellowship reviewer, American Council of Learned Societies (2020).
Member, Mellon Philosophy as a Way of Life Network (2019-).
Member, International Society for Socratic Studies.
Nominated member, American Philosophical Association Committee on International Cooperation (2018-2021).
Session chair, “Submitted Symposium: Reasons for Belief” (2013 Eastern APA); “Invited Symposium: Aristotle and Ontological Priority” (2012 Pacific APA); New Jersey Regional Philosophical Association meeting (2010); Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy conference (2010).
Expert reviewer for the Flourishing Relationship Scale, a psychological measure designed by Blaine Fowers and Jean-Phillipe Laurenceau, University of Miami (2011).
Occasional participant, New York Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy (2009-2012).
Institutional Service and Activities
Yale-NUS College
Head of Studies, Philosophy major (Sem 2, AY 2023-24).
Coordinator, Global Antiquity minor (AY 2023-24).
Alumni/outreach coordinator, Philosophy major (AY 2023-24).
Chair, Task Force on Interdisciplinarity in the Humanities Common Curriculum (Semester 1, AY 2021-22). (Appointed; but Task Force disbanded in August 2021.)
Secretary, Philosophy Major (Semester 1, AY 2021-22).
Chair, Search Committee, Philosophy Lecturer (Semester 2, AY 2020-21).
Chair, Search Committee, Philosophy and Political Thought Lecturer (Semester 2, AY 2020-21).
Acting Head of Studies, Philosophy (Semester 2, AY 2020-21).
Member, Divisional Evaluation Committee (one committee in AY 2019-20; three committees in 2020-21).
Faculty advisor, Yale-NUS Philosophy Society (AY 2019-2020; semester 1, AY 2020-21 and 2021-22).
Course Facilitator, Philosophy and Political Thought 1 (AY 2019-2020; AY 2020-2021).
Member, Search Committee, Philosophy/Common Curriculum Lecturer (Semester 2, AY 2019-20).
Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign, Faculty Representative (AY 2019-20).
Course Facilitator, Philosophy and Political Thought 2 (AY 2018-19).
Council of Facilitators (AY 2018-2019; AY 2019-2020; AY 2020-21).
Coordinator, Ancient Worlds/Global Antiquity Speakers’ Series (2019-21).
Committee on Faculty Affairs (AY 2018-19; AY 2019-20, AY 2023-24 [Semester 1]).
Facilitator, Research Committee Working Group on External Fellowship Leave (2019).
Research Committee (AY 2018-19; AY 2019-20).
Double-Degree Programme in Law Academic Advisor to Class of 2022+1 (2018).
Cendana College Rector Search Committee (2018).
Yale-NUS Philosophy Visiting Speaker Coordinator (AY 2016-17; AY 2018-19).
Advisory Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid (AY 2012-14; AY 2015-16; 2018).
Participant, Ancient Worlds Research Cluster (AY 2015-).
Humanities Division Discretionary Fund Committee (AY 2015-16).
Yale-NUS Common Curriculum Self-Study Committee (2015).
Facilitator, CCSSC Working Group on Historical Immersion (HI) and Current Issues (CI) (2015).
Faculty advisor, Yale-NUS Film Club (2015).
Humanities Division Representative, Dean’s Committee on Visiting Speakers (elected in 2013; committee never met).
Co-Advisor and Member of Joint Committee on the DDP (2015).
Faculty Advisor, Yale-NUS/NUS Faculty of Law Double Degree Program in Law (AY 2013-14).
Ad-hoc Committee on the LKY School of Public Policy Proposed Concurrent Degree (2013).
Philosophy Major Working Group (2013).
Philosophy and Political Thought (Curriculum Working Group) (AY 2012-13).
Independent First-Year Courses (Curriculum Working Group) (AY 2012-13).
Fellow, Berkeley College, Yale University (AY 2012-13).
Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Participant, Ethics/Value Theory Reading Group.
University of Miami
Ad Hoc Committee on Boosting the Number of Philosophy Majors and Minors.
Faculty participant in Undergraduate Philosophy Club film series.
Yale University
Organized several workshops for the Yale Working Group in Ancient Philosophy (an affiliate of the Whitney Humanities Center).
Yale/UConn Graduate Philosophy Conference. Member of the History of Philosophy Committee, 2007; reader for ancient philosophy submissions, 2006.
Graduate student advisor and reader for The Yale Philosophy Review (an undergraduate philosophy journal), 2004-2008.
Languages
Ancient Greek (reading), French (reading), Spanish (reading/speaking/writing), Portuguese (reading), German (reading); currently studying Japanese.
Other Professional Experience
Simon & Schuster, New York, NY
Associate Editor (2000-2002); Assistant Editor (1998-1999); Editorial Assistant (1995-1998). Developed, acquired, and edited original/reprint literary fiction and non-fiction titles. Invited panelist, “Story Week Festival of Writers,” Columbia College, Chicago (December 1998, April 2000).