UCD School of Philosophy

Scoil na Fealsúnachta UCD

Dr James O'Shea BA MA PhD

Contact Details

Title	Senior Lecturer
Address	School of Philosophy D513 John Henry Newman Building School of Philosophy Belfield. Dublin 4. Ireland.
Telephone:	+353 1 7168368
Mobile:	+353(0)87 7741833
Email:	ei.dcu@aehso.mij
Homepage:	Web Page

Biography:

I received my PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992(Problems of Substance: Perception and Object in Hume and Kant). Supervisors: Jay F. Rosenberg and Simon Blackburn.

Since 1992 I have been a lecturer (USA terminology: 'professor') in the School of Philosophy, University College Dublin. I am also Reviews Editor of the International Journal of Philosophical Studies, and Treasurer of the international Irish Philosophical Club.

In addition to my continuing work on systematic issues in the philosophies of Hume and Kant, I am also working on issues in contemporary analytic philosophy concerning naturalism, normativity, and the 'logical space of reasons' (Sellars, Brandom, McDowell), as well as on American pragmatism and neo-pragmatism. I have published books on Wilfrid Sellars: Naturalism with a Normative Turn (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2007); Self, Language, and World: Problems from Kant, Sellars, and Rosenberg (Atascadero, CA: Ridgeview Publishing Co., 2010; co-edited with Eric Rubenstein); and Kant's Critique of Pure Reason: An Introduction and Interpretation (UK: Acumen Publishing Ltd., 2012).

I am currently working on three books (these are in the initial stages):

(1) Fraught With Ought: Selected Writings of Wilfrid Sellars (vol. 2), editor, (Harvard University Press).

(2) Sellars and his Legacy, editor (Oxford University Press): papers on Sellars by leading names in contemporary philosophy: Brandom, Millikan, Price, Williams, Churchland, Rosenthal, McDowell, and others.

(3) Kant's Critique of Pure Reason: A Critical Guide, editor (Cambridge University Press).

Research Interests

I received my PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992(Problems of Substance: Perception and Object in Hume and Kant). Supervisors: Jay F. Rosenberg and Simon Blackburn.

I have published books on Wilfrid Sellars: Naturalism with a Normative Turn (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2007); Self, Language, and World: Problems from Kant, Sellars, and Rosenberg (Atascadero, CA: Ridgeview Publishing Co., 2010; co-edited with Eric Rubenstein); and Kant's Critique of Pure Reason: An Introduction and Interpretation (UK: Acumen Publishing Ltd., 2012).

I am currently working on three books (these are in the initial stages):

(1) Fraught With Ought: Selected Writings of Wilfrid Sellars (vol. 2), editor, (Harvard University Press).

(2) Sellars and his Legacy, editor (Oxford University Press): papers on Sellars by leading names in contemporary philosophy: Brandom, Millikan, Price, Williams, Churchland, Rosenthal, McDowell, and others.

(3) Kant's Critique of Pure Reason: A Critical Guide, editor (Cambridge University Press).

Research Projects

Sponsor : University College Dublin (UCD)
Title : Panel Organizer & Presenter - "Peirce and Sellars: A Case of Pragmatist Converegence & Divergence". ('First European Conference on Pragmatism & American Philosophy', at the University of Rome 19-21 Sept 2012. ( http://www.nordprag.org/epc1.html )
Start Date / End Date : 01-MAY-12 / 31-OCT-13

Sponsor : Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS)
Title : Blindsight: A Doorway to Consciousness
Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-10 / 30-SEP-11

Sponsor : University College Dublin (UCD)
Title : Naturalism within the normative space of reasons
Start Date / End Date : 01-SEP-10 / 31-AUG-11

Sponsor : Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS)
Title : Meanings of Thumb: A semantic error Theory.
Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-07 / 30-SEP-09

Sponsor : Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS)
Title : Scepticism and Psychologism in the Critique of Pure Reason
Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-05 / 30-SEP-07

Current Postgraduate Students

Christopher Murphy, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Thesis Supervisor

Robert Foley, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Thesis Supervisor

Ciaran Sharkey, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Thesis Supervisor

Michael Gallagher, Master of Literature (MLitt) - Thesis Supervisor

Books

O'Shea, J (2012) Kant's Critique of Pure Reason: An Introduction and Interpretation. UK: Acumen Press.

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O'Shea, J; (2007) Wilfrid Sellars: Naturalism With a Normative Turn. Cambridge: Polity Press.

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OShea, J and Moran, D; (1995) Reading Kant: The Critique of Pure Reason, co-authored with Dermot Moran, in the textbook series 'Philosophy 2: Reading Philosophers'. Dublin: Oscail: Dublin City University Publications. University Distance Learning Degree in Humanities. [Details]

Book Chapters

O'Shea, James R; (2012) 'Kant and Dennett on the Epistemic Status of Teleological Principles' In: O'Rourke, F., ed (eds). Human Destinies. Philosophical Essays in Memory of Gerald Hanratty. Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press. [Details]

O'Shea, J (2011) 'Sources of Pluralism in William James' In: 多元論︰差異性哲學和政治學, Pluralism:the Philosophy and Politics of Diversity, Maria Baghramian and Attracta Ingram, editors (translated by Zhang Feng). Chongqing: Chongqing Publishing House. [Details]

O'Shea, J; (2010) 'Conceptual Thinking and Nonconceptual Content: A Sellarsian Divide' In: James R. O'Shea and Eric Rubenstein (eds). Self, Language, and World: Problems from Kant, Sellars, and Rosenberg. Atascadero, CA, USA: Ridgeview Publishing Company.

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O'Shea, James R; (2009) 'On the Structure of Sellars' Naturalism with a Normative Turn' In: DeVries, W., ed (eds). Empiricism, Perceptual Knowledge, Normativity and Realism: Essays on Wilfrid Sellars. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Details]

O'Shea, J; (2008) 'American Philosophy in the Twentieth Century' In: Dermot Moran (eds). The Routledge Companion to Twentieth Century Philosophy. Abingdon: Routledge.

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Edited Books

O'Shea, J (Ed.). (2011) 'Critical Notices and Reviews', International Journal of Philosophical Studies. Oxford: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Ltd.

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O'Shea J (Ed.). (2011) 'Critical Notices and Reviews', ed. James R. O'Shea (reviews editor), International Journal of Philosophical Studies: Vol. 19, Issue 4, October 2011, pp. 603-642; Issue 5, December 2011, pp. 753-786; Vol. 20, Issue 1, February 2012, pp. 149-162. London, UK: Routledge.

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Guest Editor of Special Issue: James R. O'Shea (Ed.). (2010) Naturalism, Normativity, and the Space of Reasons. Special Issue of the 'International Journal of Philosophical Studies', volume 18, issue 3, July 2010: Routledge.

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James R. O'Shea and Eric Rubenstein, editors (Ed.). (2010) Self, Language, and World: Problems from Kant, Sellars, and Rosenberg. Atascadero, California, USA: Ridgeview Publishing Company.

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Peer Reviewed Journals

O'Shea, J; (2012) 'Objective Truth and the Practice Relativity of Justification in the Pragmatic Turn'. European Journal of Pragmatism and American Philosophy, 3 (2):216-222.

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O'Shea, J; (2012) 'The 'Theory Theory' of Mind and the Aims of Sellars' Original Myth of Jones'. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 11 (2):175-204.

[DOI] [Details]

O'Shea, J (2012) 'Prospects for a Synoptic Vision of our Thinking Nature: On Sellars, Brandom, and Millikan'. Humana.Mente A Journal of Philosophical Studies, 21 :149-172.

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O'Shea, J.; (2011) 'How to be a Kantian and a Naturalist about Human Knowledge: Sellars' Middle Way'. Journal of Philosophical Research, .

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O'Shea, J.; (2010) 'Having a Sensible World in View: McDowell and Sellars on Perceptual Experience'. Philosophical Books, 51 (2):63-82. [Details]

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Conference Publications

O'Shea, J (2012) C. I. Lewis and Sellars on the Given: Relocating the Myth First Annual European Conference on Pragmatism and American Philosophy , 19-SEP-12 - 19-SEP-12 [Details]

O'Shea, J (2012) Kant, Science, and Sensibility: Haunting Sellars' Synoptic Vision Sellars Centenary Conference , 06-JUN-12 - 06-JUN-12

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O'Shea, J (2012) Perception, Inference, and the Given Workshop on Perception and Action Newman House, Dublin, , 27-AUG-12 - 27-AUG-12 [Details]

O'Shea J (2011) On the Reliable Observation of Imperceptible Entities Invited Speaker (NUI Maynooth, 17th November and Trinity College Dublin Metaphysical Society, 10th November) [Details]

O'Shea J (2011) Pragmatism and Scientific Naturalism: Some Forks in the Road International conference on Huw Price's Naturalism Without Mirrors, Ethics Research Institute, University of Zurich Ethics Research Institute, University of Zurich, , 08-MAY-11 - 11-MAY-11 [Details]

Book Reviews

O'Shea, J; (2010) Review of Bernhard Weiss and Jeremy Wanderer (eds), 'Reading Brandom: On Making It Explicit'. http://ndpr.nd.edu/review.cfm?id=22129: Book Reviews

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OShea, J.; (2001) Review of Jeffrey Edwards, Substance, Force, and the Possibility of Knowledge: On Kants Philosophy of Material Nature. Book Reviews [Details]

OShea, J.; (2001) Review of Simon Blackburn, 'Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy'. Book Reviews [Details]

OShea, J.; (1999) Review of Rae Langton, Kantian Humility: Our Ignorance of Things in Themselves (Clarendon, 1998). Book Reviews [Details]

OShea, J.; (1998) Review of Ruth Anna Putnam, ed., The Cambridge Companion to William James. Book Reviews [Details]

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Honours and Awards

Year: 2012.
Title: 50,000 Euro Funding to organise and host the international 'Sellars Centenary Conference' at UCD

Year: 2011.
Title: Seed Funding Award (Conference Participation)

Year: 2010.
Title: UCD President's Fellowship

Associations

Association: International Irish Philosophical Club, Function/Role: Treasurer and Officer

Association: American Philosophical Association, Function/Role: *

Association: U.K. Kant Society, Function/Role: Officer

Association: Hume Society, Function/Role: *

Association: British Society for the History of Philosophy., Function/Role: *

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Conference Contributions

O'Shea, J (2011) Pragmatism and Scientific Naturalism: Some Forks in the Road. [International Refereed Conference], international conference on Huw Price's Naturalism Without Mirrors, Ethics Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland - Ethics Research Institute, University of Zurich , 09-MAY-11 - 12-MAY-11.

O'Shea, J (2011) Normativity and Nature: Prospects for a Stereoscopic View. [International Refereed Conference], international conference on Normativity of Meaning: Sellarsian Perspectives, Prague, Prague, Czech Republic, Charles University , 24-MAY-11 - 27-MAY-11.

O'Shea, J.; (2010) The 'Theory Theory' of Mind and the Aims of Sellars' Original Myth of Jones. [International Refereed Conference], International conference on Intersubjectivity and Empathy, Royal Irish Academy , 05-MAY-10 - 06-MAY-10.

O'Shea, J.; (2010) Conceptualism, Perceptual Content, and Sensible Qualities. [Invited Lecture], international conference on Phenomenal Qualities, University of Hertfordshire, UK , 25-FEB-10 - 25-FEB-10.

O'Shea, J.; (2009) The Central Importance of Sellars' Theory of Conceptual Change. [International Refereed Conference], Wilfrid Sellars: Science and Metaphysics, College de France, Paris , 18-MAY-09 - 19-MAY-09.

O'Shea, James R; (2008) Normativity and Nonconceptual Representation: A Sellarsian Approach to Perceptual Experience. [Keynote Address], Conference on Normativity, University of Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam , 29-AUG-08 - 30-AUG-08.
O'Shea, J.; (2008) Conceptual Thinking and Nonconceptual Representation. [International Refereed Conference], international conference on Self, Language, and World, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA , 11-SEP-08 - 12-SEP-08.
O'Shea, J.; (2008) The Space of Reasons: Sellars on Naturalism and Normativity. [Keynote Address], international conference on Normativity, Amsterdam , 30-AUG-08 - 30-AUG-08.
O'Shea, J.; (2008) Sellars¿ Pragmatic Naturalism: Reasons, Causes, and the Janus-Faced Character of Language. [International Refereed Conference], international conference on Pragmatism and Naturalism, Tilburg University, Netherlands , 07-MAY-08 - 08-MAY-08.
O'Shea, J.; (2006) On the Structure of Sellars¿ Naturalism with a Normative Turn. [Chaired Session], International Conference Celebrating Fifty Years of Sellars¿ Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind, Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University of London , 28-JUN-06 - 30-JUN-06.
O'Shea, J.; (2005) Sellars and McDowell on the Myth of Given. [International Refereed Conference], Fifth European Congress for Analytic Philosophy, Lisbon , 30-AUG-05 - 01-SEP-05.
O'Shea, J.; (2003) Sellars and the Myth of the Given: Comments on Sosa and Williams. [International Refereed Conference], The Mind-Aristotelian Society Joint Session, Belfast , 19-JUL-03 - 21-JUL-03.
OShea, J; (2002) Wilfrid Sellars on Perception and the Myth of the Given. [Oral Presentation], Queens University Belfast, March 14, Belfast , 14-MAR-02.
OShea, J; (2000) Kants Teleology and Dennetts Intentional stance Compared. [Oral Presentation], National University of Ireland, (10 February 2000), Maynooth , 10-FEB-00.
OShea, J; (2000) Teleology in Kants Third Critique. [Oral Presentation], University of Ulster at Coleraine (29 February 2000), Coleraine , 29-FEB-00.
OShea, J; (2000) The Role of Reflection in Hume,. [Oral Presentation], American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division, (28 December 2000), New York , 28-DEC-00.
OShea, J; (1998) Intentionality in William James. [Oral Presentation], Annual international conference, Irish Philosophical Club, Ballymascanlon, Dundalk (13 February 1998), Dundalk , 13-FEB-98.
OShea, J (1997); (1997) Reflections on Sense and Science in Sellars and Kant,. [Oral Presentation], British Society for the History of Philosophy, with the UK Kant Society, Keele University (5 April 1997), Keele University , 05-APR-97.
OShea, J; (1997) Humes Attempt to Restore Reason. [Oral Presentation], Georg-August Universität, Göttingen, Germany (25 June 1997), Germany , 25-JUN-97.
OShea, J; (1996) Reason's Ideal of Systematic Unity and the Needs of Understanding. [Oral Presentation], UK Kant Society/Royal Irish Academy joint conference, Dublin (16 May 1996), Dublin , 16-MAY-96.
OShea, J; (1994) Humes Reflective Return to the Vulgar. [Oral Presentation], University of Ulster at Coleraine (10 May 1994), University of Ulster at Coleraine , 10-MAY-94.
OShea, J; (1994) Kants Metaphysics of Material Substance. [Oral Presentation], Conference on Ontology, Bled, Slovenia (13 June 1995); also delivered at the Metaphysical Society, University of Dublin (25 November 1994), Slovenia, UCD , 25-NOV-94.
OShea, J; (1993) Humean Scepticism and the Objects of Perception. [Oral Presentation], Royal Irish Academy, (5 May 1993), Dublin , 05-MAY-93.
OShea, J; (1992) Kants Other Response to Hume. [Oral Presentation], University College Cork, University College Cork , 06-NOV-92.
OShea, J; (1991) Hume and Kant on Duration and Identity. [Oral Presentation], American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division, New York (29 December, 1991), New York , 29-DEC-91.
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Committees

Committee : Served as external assessor for a full-time lectureship appointment in the Department of Philosophy (Mental and Moral Science) at Trinity College Dublin, April 2000.

Committee : Treasurer of the Irish Philosophical Club (since 1999), a long-standing philosophical society with members from the Republic and Northern Ireland, which holds a yearly conference with internationally renowned invited speakers.

Committee : Royal Irish Academy, Academy nominee serving on the Committee for the History and Philosophy of Science, from June 1999 to the present.

Committee : Attended U.C.D. health and safety instructional meetings, as Department of Philosophy liaison, 1993-4.

Committee : Departmental liaison to the Faculty of Arts, U.C.D., from 1999-2003.

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Education

Year 1985 Institution: Georgetown University, DC.USA
Qualification: BA Subject:

Year 1987 Institution: Univ of North Carolina
Qualification: MA Subject:

Year 1992 Institution: Univ of North Carolina
Qualification: PhD Subject:

Other Activities

Reviews Editor of the International Journal of Philosophical Studies since late 2003

O'Shea, J.; (2010) 'Normativity and Scientific Naturalism in Sellars' 'Janus-Faced' Space of Reasons'. The International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 18 (3):459-471. [Details]
O'Shea, J.; (2010) ''Introduction: Naturalism, Normativity, and the Space of Reasons''. The International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 18 (3):313-315. [Details]
OShea, J; (2002) 'Revisiting Sellars on the Myth of the Given: Critical Notice of Knowledge, Mind, and the Given'. International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 10 (4):490-503. [Details]
OShea, J; (1997) 'The Needs of Understanding: Kant on Empirical Laws and Regulative Ideals'. International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 5 (2):216-254. [Details]
OShea, J; (1997) 'Fictitious Duration and Informative Identity in Humes Treatise. In Hume, eds. John Biro, João Paulo Monteiro and Michael B. Wrigley'. Manuscrito, 2 :169-211. [Details]
OShea, J; (1996) 'Hume's Reflective Return to the Vulgar'. British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 4 (2):285-315. [Details]
OShea, J; (1996) 'Kantian Matters: the Structure of Permanence'. Acta Analytica, 15 :67-88. [Details]
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OShea, J.; (1996) Review of David Oderberg, The Metaphysics of Identity over Time. Book Reviews [Details]
OShea, J.; (1995) Review of David Fate Norton, ed., The Cambridge Companion to Hume. Book Reviews [Details]
OShea, J.; (1993) Review of Galen Strawsons The Secret Connexion: Causation, Realism, and David Hume. Book Reviews [Details]
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Committee : Responsible for all organisational matters concerning those American students in the Junior Year Abroad programme at U.C.D. taking courses in the Department of Philosophy (JYA liason), since 1998.
Committee : Hiring committee/interview board for full-time lectureship position in philosophy, 2002 (Rowland Stout appointed).
Committee : Ongoing contributions to the design and development of interdisciplinary (inter-faculty) programmes:
Committee : Service on ad hoc committee to entirely restructure the tutorial and essays requirements of the department (2000-1).
Committee : Service on the department Postgraduate Committee (1994-7) and on the Exams Committee (2001-2)
Committee : Service as Year Coordinator (1997-2003 2nd Year Coordinator; 1992-1996 1st Year and MA coordinator)
Committee : contributions to yearly UCD Open Days
Committee : Speaker programme organizer and chair for the U.C.D. Department of Philosophy Invited Speakers Seminars: responsible for inviting, organizing, and chairing a programme of local and international speakers (2000 to 2003).
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