Faculty

 

Robert Gallagher

 I work on metaphysics, philosophy of human nature, ethics, and history and philosophy of mathematics and science. I am investigating Aristotle’s claim that the basis of the civil equality that we all seek is not our alleged sameness with each other, but rather our difference from each other, for it is your (perhaps unique) ability to do or contribute something that others cannot, or cannot do as well, that protects you from being marginalized. That idea of the diversity of human nature and of human labour, Aristotle makes a cornerstone of ethics and economic thought, but it was rejected by the founders of the so-called classical political economy. The failure of contemporary political economy revives interest in ‘moral economy,’ with its roots in Aristotle.

I am also investigating Thomas of Aquino’s rejection of Aristotle’s philosophy of nature and of his philosophy of human nature specifically, and the impact that Thomas has on subsequent philosophy.

I joined CVSP in 2007. I obtained my doctorate in Classics and Ancient Philosophy from the Ohio State University in 1998 after earning an A.B. in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in Classics from the University of Maryland. My dissertation is entitled, The Structure of Socratic Dialogue: an Aristotelian analysis. I have published research papers on Aristotle, Plato, Euripides, the Sophists, and Cicero.

I designed and teach CVSP 207H: What is human nature? (Ancient and mediaeval), which has been designated a writing intensive course by AUB. I also teach CVSP 201, 202, and 203, and am designing CVSP 208H: What is human nature? (Modern and contemporary), and CVSP 208P: Economic thought before economics.

Select publications

“Incommensurability in Aristotle’s theory of reciprocal justice,” Brit. J. Hist. Phil. (2012)

“Aristotle on eidei diapherontoi,” British J. Hist. Philosophy (2011)

“Aristotle's peirastic treatment of the Republic,” Arch. f. Geschichte der Philosophie, 1/2011.

“Protreptic aims of Plato’s Republic,” Ancient Philosophy 24.2 293-319 (2004).

“Making the stronger argument the weaker: Eur. El.: 518‑44,” Class. Quart. 53.2 401-415 (2003)

“Metaphor in Cicero’s De Re Publica,” Classical Quarterly 51.2 509-519 (2001)