Jennifer Wright

Research Interests:

My doctoral thesis concerns Hume's theories of time and space. This includes both examination of his epistemological work in this area including questions as to the nature and origin of our ideas of time and space, and consideration of his commitments regarding the metaphysics of time and space including his work on the temporal and spatial structure of the world, the relativist/absolutist debate, and the problems of vacuum and empty time.     

Beyond my thesis, I am interested in the early modern period more generally, and also make  excursions into contemporary epistemology and metaphysics. Reoccurring themes include theories of concept acquisition, extension, duration, change, persistence, and causality (the topic of my MPhil thesis). 

I am also interested in the role of philosophy in society more generally and questions of how to raise the inclusivity of philosophy as a discipline. To this end, when I am not researching I can be found teaching philosophy in primary and secondary schools around London and East Anglia.

Teaching: 

This year I will be teaching Early Modern Philosophy I (Descartes and Hume) and II (Locke and Berkeley), as well as Epistemology I.

In previous years I have taught Metaphysics I (including the philosophy of time, theories of modality, and personal identity), Metaphysics II (including theories of persistence and the 3D/4D debate, the nature of events, and causation), Neuroscience and the Mind, and, as a visiting lecturer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Introduction to Mathematical Logic and Introduction to Philosophy through Great Works.  

Research Interests:

Hume's theories of time and space (including his work on the nature and origin of ideas of time and space, as well as his arguments regarding the temporal and spatial structure of the world, the relativist/absolutist debate, and the problems of vacuum and empty time). 

Contemporary metaphysics including questions surrounding extension, duration, change, persistence, and causality. 

Contemporary epistemology including questions of concept formation. 

Teaching 2014-15

Semester 1: Early Modern Philosophy II.

Semester 2: Epistemology I, Early Modern Philosophy I.