Gordon J. Steenbergen
Duke University, Department of Philosophy
201 West Duke Building, Box 90743, Durham, NC 27708
(202) 306-2255, gjs4@duke.edu
Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Cognitive Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind
Areas of Competence
Epistemology, Logic (formal and informal), History of Modern Philosophy (especially Descartes
and Newton), Ethics (naturalistic approaches), Environmental Philosophy
Education
Duke University, Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy, May 2015 (expected)
Dissertation Title: “Understanding cognition: how the cognitive neurosciences explain”
Committee: Owen Flanagan (advisor), Karen Neander, Alex Rosenberg, Walter SinnottArmstrong
Certificate Program in Cognitive Neuroscience
Certificate Program in History and Philosophy of Science, Technology, and Medicine
Tufts University, M.A. in Philosophy, 2005
Comprehensive exams in Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, and Philosophy of Science
University of Birmingham (UK), Postgraduate Diploma in Philosophy, 2000
University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 1997
Dissertation Abstract
Cognitive neuroscience is an interdisciplinary enterprise aimed at explaining cognition and
cognitive behavior. It appears to be succeeding. What accounts for the explanatory promise of
this discipline? I argue that cognitive neuroscience explains by constructing models that produce
understanding, where understanding is a cognitive capacity that, under the right conditions, is
conducive to achieving what are ultimately pragmatic ends.
Publications and Presentations
Publications:
Flanagan, O., Ancell, A., Martin, S., & Steenbergen, G. (2014). Ethics & empiricism: what
do the biology and the psychology of morality have to do with ethics? Behaviour 151:
209–228.
Conference Presentations:
“The Role of Measurement in Newton's De Gravitatione”, North Carolina Philosophical
Society Meeting, 2011
Presentations at Duke:
“Cognitive Neuroscience, Explanation and Understanding”, Cognitive Neuroscience
Presentation Series, October 2013
“How Cognitive Neuroscience Explains”, Work in Progress (WIP) Presentation, October
2013
“Varieties of Understanding”, Presentation Talk, March 2013
“Mechanism and Reductionism”, WIP Presentation, November 2011
Awards & Grants
Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Instructional Fellowship (declined), 2014
Summer Research Fellowship, Duke University Graduate School, 2011, 2013
Travel Grant, Duke Philosophy Department, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Summer Program Fellowship, Vienna Institute Summer University, 2011
Travel Grant, Duke University Graduate School, 2011
Travel Grant, University of Pittsburgh HPS, 2010
Teaching Experience and Other Academic Service
Instructor of Record:
Summer 2014
Introduction to Philosophy
Summer 2013
Introduction to Philosophy
Spring 2012
Logic
Fall 2011
Logic
Fall 2011
Interdisciplinary Discussion Course (IDC)—Exploring the Mind
Spring 2011
Introduction to Philosophy
Teaching Assistant:
Fall 2013
Spring 2011
Fall 2010
Spring 2010
Fall 2009
Fall 2004
Spring 2003
Fall 2003
Other Service:
Summer 2013
Spring 2012
Fall 2010
Think Again: How to Reason and Argue (Coursera), Walter SinnottArmstrong and Ram Neta (UNC)
Neuroethics, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Scott Huettel (Duke Center
for Cognitive Neuroscience)
Aristotle, Michael Ferejohn
Philosophy of Mind, Karen Neander
Philosophy of Mind, Owen Flanagan
Feminist Philosophy, Nancy Bauer (Tufts)
Ethics, Nancy Bauer (Tufts)
Philosophy of Mind, Daniel Dennett (Tufts)
Research Assistant for Coursera Course design, Walter SinnottArmstrong
Research Assistant for Logic Course Re-design, Iris Einheuser
Research Assistant for Neuroethics, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Scott
Huettel
Graduate Coursework
History and Philosophy of Science
Scientific Explanation (UNC), Marc Lange and Matthew Kotzen*
The Epistemology of Induction (UNC), Ram Neta and John Roberts*
Causation, Kevin Hoover
Historical and Philosophical Perspectives on Science, Tad Schmaltz
Laws of Nature (UNC), John Roberts
Questions (Tufts), George Smith and Sylvan Bromberger*
Philosophy of Science (Tufts), George Smith
Philosophy of Mind, Cognitive Science and Neuroscience
Neurophilosophy, Owen Flanagan and Michael Pauen*
Representational Theories of Consciousness (Duke/UNC), Karen Neander, Guven Guzeldere,
Fred Dretske, William Lycan
Science of the Conscious Mind (Vienna Institute Summer University), Owen Flanagan,
Michael Pauen, Uljana Feest
Cognitive Neuroscience Presentation Series, Elizabeth Brannon
Principles of Cognitive Neuroscience II, Roberto Cabeza and Guest Lecturers
Principles of Cognitive Neuroscience I, Kevin LaBar
Mental Causation, Karen Neander and Guven Guzeldere*
Philosophy of Psychiatry (Tufts), Daniel Dennett and Nassir Ghaemi
Philosophy of Mind (Tufts), Daniel Dennett
M&E, Language, and Logic
Metaphysics and Epistemology Proseminar, Andrew Janiak and Iris Einheuser
Epistemology (Tufts), Jody Azzouni
Metaphysics (Tufts), David Denby
Relativism (Tufts), Mark Richard
Logic (Tufts), Katherine Koslicki
Philosophy of Language (Tufts), Mark Richard
History of Philosophy
Aristotle, Michael Ferejohn
Descartes’s Meditations, Tad Schmaltz
Newton and Leibniz (Duke/UNC), Andrew Janiak and Alan Nelson
Quine, Jody Azzouni (Tufts)
Moral Philosophy
Ethics Proseminar, Owen Flanagan
Contemporary Ethical Theories, David Wong
* Indicates course audited
Professional Development and Non-Academic Employment Experience
Teaching Workshops:
Teaching seminar, 2012
Team-Based Learning workshop, 2012
Responsible Conduct of Research Training:
“Ethical Issues in Conducting Research with Advisers and other Mentors”, 2011
“Beyond Tuskegee: Human Subjects in Guatemala and U.S. Policy Reviews”, 2011
“Promoting Academic Freedom and Civil Discourse in the Classroom”, 2010
Non-Academic Employment:
Communications Engineer, SAIC / Leidos, September 1998 to 2014
Languages
French and Portuguese