Areas of interest
Philosophy of economics, ethical theory, applied ethics, social philosophy, philosophy of mathematics.
Areas of graduate supervision
- Philosophy of Economics
- Ethics of AI
- Modeling in Philosophy of Science
- Epistemology
- Values in Science
- Ethical Theory
- Applied Ethics
- Bioethics
- Social Philosophy
- Philosophy of Sex and Love
Contact information
Current Research
I have wide-ranging research interests, but my current research focuses on the ethics of formalization, quantification, and optimization. Topics include: 1) the role of ethical values in optimality methods like cost-benefit analysis; 2) normative analysis of mathematization and formalization in economics; and 3) discrimination and bias in the use of algorithms.
In the past, I’ve also written on value pluralism, moral reasoning, moral dilemmas, economics imperialism, sexual objectification, ambivalence, theories of truth and other topics. I’m especially interested in problems lying at the intersection of the theoretical and the practical, where philosophy can help us understand our contemporary social, political, and epistemological situation.
My first book Moral Reasoning in a Pluralistic World (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2015) addresses the question: How should we reason morally in a pluralistic world, in which we share multiple values (honesty, fairness, benevolence etc.) but interpret and prioritize these in different ways? I also work in philosophy of sex and love, and my second book Philosophy of Sex and Love: An Opinionated Introduction (Routledge Press, 2019), explores basic issues surrounding sex and love in today’s world such as objectification and consent.
Selected publications
- Moral Reasoning in a Pluralistic World (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2015).
- "Minimal Models, Feminist Epistemology, and Diversity," Journal of Economic Methodology (2025)1-15.
- "Cost-Benefit Analysis, Ethical Values, and a 'Taste' for Fairness," Journal of Economic Methodology (2024): 1-14.
- "Algorithmic Racial Discrimination: A Social Impact Approach," Feminist Philosophy Quarterly 8 (2022) (co-authored with Alysha Kassam).
Selected grants, fellowships, awards
- Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Standard Research Grant, $60,669, 2011-2014. Project: Moral Reasoning in a Pluralistic World.
- University of Waterloo, Outstanding Performance Award, for outstanding contribution in research and teaching, 2009, 2016, and 2022.