The department has a number of members who work in the history of philosophy. Our strengths are in ancient and modern.
In the area of ancient philosophy, Jean Roberts works on Plato's and Aristotle's moral and political theory, but has longstanding and continuing interests in almost all areas of ancient Greek and Hellenistic philosophy. Cass Weller works on Plato and Aristotle with interests in practical reason, moral psychology, and philosophy of mind. These philosophers are also affiliated with the Classics Department, with whom they administer the Joint Ph.D. in Classics and Philosophy.
In the area of modern philosophy, Michael Rosenthal works on early modern moral and political philosophy, especially in Spinoza. He is also interested in German-Jewish thought in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Cass Weller works on Hume’s epistemology, moral psychology, and theory of practical reason. He is interested in Kant’s views on theoretical and practical reason. He also works on the history of twentieth century analytic philosophy. Colin Marshall works on topics in Kant’s first Critique and Spinoza’s philosophy of mind.
For a comprehensive view of faculty and graduate students in our department with an interest in history of philosophy, as well as a their publications in this area, please see the following fields of interest pages: