I am a researcher at the University of Cologne. Many topics in analytic philosophy intrigue me, but my main interest is in the philosophy of causation. I am especially excited about the idea that causation is just a pattern of correlation that is insensitive to different kinds of disturbances. My PhD dissertation argued that such a view on causation helps to resolve an age-old puzzle: if mental phenomena are not physical, how can they affect our behaviour? Currently, I investigate other puzzles about causation, such as ‘can absences cause?’ and ‘why does causation never go backwards in time?’
Thank you, Joshua Chawner, for such an interesting question! I liked this question because I distinctly remember being baffled by a Flemmish expression that is taken to mean the same thing: ‘you need to taste all the sauces’ (or: ‘ge moet van alle saze nekeer proeve’). I was baffled because the proposed principle is so […]
‘Don’t knock it untill you’ve tried it’ – really? Read More
Thank you, Javier Palau Salsas, for such a selfless question! I don’t think there are strong reasons to believe that this is true. It seems plausible that our ego can help us get things done, but it seems equally plausible that our ego can stop us from getting things done. I’ll explain a bit more
Does a lack of ego make us lazy? Read More
