BAckground
I am an Assistant Professor of
Philosophy at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (since Autumn
2007). In my spare time, I run, referee the
occasional high
school soccer game, and laugh at bad jokes.
I hail from a former coal mining town in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania and lived the first decade of my life in Baltimore, Maryland.
Prior to becoming a philosopher, the most interesting jobs I had were being a proofreader for a medical transcription company, being a desk clerk/night auditor at a hotel, and coaching a high school soccer team.
Research
I am active
with research in both the philosophy of science and Asian philosophy.
My current work in the philosophy of science focuses on understanding the difference between the apparent and actual content of scientific hypotheses, and how to use this difference to best accommodate attitudes prominent among practicing scientists concerning the confirmation status and explanatory power of those hypotheses.
My current work in Asian philosophy focuses on interpreting and reconstructing the metaphysics of Huayan Buddhism, and in particular the philosopher Fazang's theses concerning mutual interdependence and identity (as illustrated, for example, with the Jeweled Net of Indra analogy.)
My current work in the philosophy of science focuses on understanding the difference between the apparent and actual content of scientific hypotheses, and how to use this difference to best accommodate attitudes prominent among practicing scientists concerning the confirmation status and explanatory power of those hypotheses.
My current work in Asian philosophy focuses on interpreting and reconstructing the metaphysics of Huayan Buddhism, and in particular the philosopher Fazang's theses concerning mutual interdependence and identity (as illustrated, for example, with the Jeweled Net of Indra analogy.)
Teaching
Office Hours (Spring 2010):
For the Spring 2010 semester, I will teach History of Modern Philosophy and two sections of Intro to Ethics.Contact
332B Morton Hall
Department of Philosophy
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
301 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, AL 35899
Office: 256.824.2338
Fax: 256.824.2387
Email: Nick[dot]Jones[at]uah[dot]edu
Department of Philosophy
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
301 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, AL 35899
Office: 256.824.2338
Fax: 256.824.2387
Email: Nick[dot]Jones[at]uah[dot]edu