Andrew Bailey

Programs

Philosophy
Critical Studies in Improvisation

About my research

I welcome graduate students interested in working on issues in the philosophy of mind or metaphysics. I have expertise in topics concerning phenomenal consciousness, physicalism (zombies!), mental causation and epiphenomenalism, phenomenal intentionality, panpsychism, and theories of perception. I also have an interest in embodied cognition and theories of the self/non-self. In addition, I welcome graduate students with an interest in working on the thought of William James and connected issues (pragmatism, radical empiricism, related thinkers, the early history of psychology etc.) or on ethical issues in AI.

How my research improves life

The main through-line of my research is an investigation of the place of phenomenal consciousness in the physical world: what are its metaphysics and what is its epistemology? A better understanding of consciousness is required to complete (or not) the project of a scientific naturalist understanding of the universe. Also, since consciousness is the locus of everything that is of value in our lives, understanding how it arises, how it varies, and how it is distributed across the world (e..g in non-human animal species) has immense ethical consequences.

Why choose U of G?

The University of Guelph is a great place to explore these issues. It is an interdisciplinary environment, and faculty in the Philosophy department have close links with psychology, neuroscience, computer science and the CARE-AI centre at Guelph.