curriculum vitae
John D. Shoemaker
Department of Philosophy
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627-0078
jshoemak@mail.rochester.edu
Education
Ph.D. in Philosophy, University of Rochester, (expected Summer 2008)
M.A. in Philosophy (concentration: epistemology and philosophy of science), Western Michigan University, July 2003
B.A. in Chemistry and Philosophy (magna cum laude), Hope College, May 2000
Areas of Specialization
Epistemology
Areas of Competence
Logic, Philosophical Logic, Philosophy of Science, Modern Western Metaphysics and Epistemology
Ph.D. Dissertation (in progress)
“On Evidential Support”
Committee: Richard Feldman (Director), Earl Conee, Timothy McGrew
Publications and Presentations
“Knowledge-Closure and Evidential Defeaters.” (in progress/under review)
“Knowledge-Closure and Evidential Defeaters.” Presented at the University of Miami’s Fifth Annual Graduate Student Conference in Epistemology, January 2008.
Comments on “The A Priori Defended” [by Joshua Thurow], Presented at the University of Rochester’s Fourth Graduate Student Epistemology Conference, October 21, 2006.
Comments on “Warrant, Luck and Truth” [by E. J. Coffman], Presented at the University of Rochester’s Third Biennial Graduate Student Epistemology Conference, September 25, 2004.
“Epistemological Naturalism and Mark Kaplan’s Decision Theory,” Philo, Fall-Winter 2003
“Prediction and the Strong Advantage Thesis.” Presented at Brown University’s Sixth Annual Graduate Student Philosophy Conference, February 17, 2002.
Academic Research and Service
Teaching Assistant, University of Rochester, Department of Philosophy, Fall 2005 – Spring 2008
Member of content review committee, University of Rochester, Fourth Biennial Rochester Graduate Epistemology Conference, Fall 2006
Member of content review committee, University of Rochester, Third Biennial Rochester Graduate Epistemology Conference, Fall 2004
Instructor of Record, Western Michigan University, Department of Philosophy, Spring 2002 – Spring 2003.
Teaching Assistant, Western Michigan University, Department of Philosophy, Fall, 2001 – Spring 2002.
Undergraduate organic chemistry research, Hope College, Summer, 1998, directed by Dr. Michael Silver.
Undergraduate astrophysics research, Goddard Space Flight Center, Summer, 1997, directed by Dr. Peter Gonthier.
Teaching Assistant, Hope College, Department of Modern and Classical Languages (French), Spring, 1997.
Honors and Awards
Best Essay Award, “On a Closure Principle and Defeating Evidence,” University of Rochester, Spring 2006
Sproull Fellow, University of Rochester, Fall 2003 – Spring 2008
Second Annual Heraclitean Society Essay Award, “A Critical Look at Mark Kaplan’s Decision Theory as Philosophy,” Western Michigan University, Spring 2003
First Annual Heraclitean Society Essay Award, “Prediction and the Strong Advantage Thesis,” Western Michigan University, Spring 2002
Sigma Xi Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Science Research, Hope College, Spring 2000
National Merit Scholar, Hope College, Fall 1996 – Spring 2000
Courses Taught
Philosophy of Science, Western Michigan University, Winter 2003
Introduction to Philosophy, Western Michigan University, Fall 2002
Critical Reasoning, Western Michigan University, Spring 2002
Courses Assisted
Ethical Decisions in Medicine, University of Rochester, Spring 2008 (Instructor: Richard Dees)
Reason and Argument, University of Rochester, Fall 2007 (Instructor: Jeffrey Glick)
Contemporary Moral Problems, University of Rochester, Spring 2007 (Instructor: Robert Holmes)
The Meaning of Life, University of Rochester, Fall 2006 (Instructor: Earl Conee)
Introduction to Ethics, University of Rochester, Spring 2006 (Instructor: Earl Conee)
Reason and Argument, University of Rochester, Fall 2005 (Instructor: Richard Feldman)
Critical Reasoning, Western Michigan University, Winter 2002 (Instructor: Marc Alspector-Kelly)
Introduction to Philosophy, Western Michigan University, Fall 2001 (Instructor: David Newman)
Graduate Coursework
Western Michigan University
Advanced Philosophy of Science (Scientific Inference) – Timothy McGrew
Ethical Theory (Metaethics) – Joseph Ellin
Empiricism and Realism – Marc Alspector-Kelly
Aristotle on Nature – Richard Tierney
Metaphysics (Causation) – Quentin Smith
Decision Theory – Arthur Falk
Philosophy of Mind – John Dilworth
Readings in Philosophy (Probability Theory) – Timothy McGrew
Philosophy of Language and Logic – Quentin Smith
Theory of Knowledge – Timothy McGrew
Philosophical Applications of Logic – Arthur Falk
University of Rochester
Philosophy and Logic (Unrestricted Quantification) – Gabriel Uzquiano
Reading Introductory Mathematical Logic – Gabriel Uzquiano
Uncertain Inference – Henry Kyburg
Rationalism – Ralf Meerbote
Theory of Knowledge (Internalism and Externalism) – Richard Feldman
History of Modern Philosophy (Berkeley and Reid) – Ralf Meerbote
Logical Methods – Gabriel Uzquiano
Introduction to Philosophical Theology – Edward Wierenga
Metaphysics (Free Will) – Richard Feldman
Deviant Logic – Henry Kyburg
British Empiricism – Ralf Meerbote
Introduction to Metaphysics – Gabriel Uzquiano
Moral Theory (20th century Metaethics) – Robert Holmes
Kant I – Ralf Meerbote
Selected Topics in Ancient Philosophy – Deborah Modrak
Mathematical Logic – Gabriel Uzquiano
Theory of Knowledge (Closure and Contextualism) – Richard Feldman
Defeasible Inference – Henry Kyburg
A Priori Knowledge – Earl Conee
Philosophy of Language – David Braun
References
Earl Conee, Professor of Philosophy, University of Rochester
Richard Feldman, Professor of Philosophy and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Rochester
Timothy McGrew, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Philosophy, Western Michigan University