Rögnvaldur Dadi Ingthorsson
R. D. Ingthorsson, is an Associate Professor at the University of Helsinki. His research is mentioned in 15 different entries of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and he is the author of McTaggart's Paradox (twice nominated to the APA Sanders Book Prize) and co-editor of the celebrated Mental Causation and Ontology together with S. C. Gibb and E. J. Lowe.
Biography
I am an Associate Professor at the University of Helsinki, Finland. My area of specialisation is Metaphysics. More specifically I address core issues in the Metaphysics of Time, Causation, Persistence, Powers, and Truth. The view that I currently defend, or try to elaborate on, is the view that only the present exists, that things endure rather than perdure, and that causation is a question of powerful particulars producing changes in each other through mutual interactions between each other. Truth, I believe, is a question of correspondence between belief and the subject matter of that belief.In the years 2012-2014, I carried out a project funded by the Swedish Research Council, in which I critically overviewed the debate about McTaggart’s Paradox. I then continued to the project "Scientific Essentialism: Modernising the Aristotelian View", funded by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond: For the Advancement of the Humanities and Social Sciences. The main output of the second project is now seeing the light of day; the book "A Powerful Particulars View of Causation".
I am also interested in questions having to do with the application of metaphysics to our understanding of science generally considered, i.e. including the humanities and social sciences.
Education
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Ph.D. in Philosophy
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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Philosophy of time, causation, properties, persistence, constitution, process, and truth.
Personal Interests
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I have a very general interest in philosophy. Basically, I am trying to understand the world we live in and our place in it. I am also a devout fan of cross-country skiing and generally the great outdoors.
Websites
Books
Articles
Ontological and methodological virtues of unification
Published: Jan 18, 2020 by Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Authors: R.D. Ingthorsson
Subjects:
Philosophy
This paper strives to explain one way in which metaphysics and physics are continues and yet disparate phenomena.
Challenging the Grounding Objection to Presentism
Published: Apr 03, 2017 by Manuscrito
Authors: R. D. Ingthorsson
Subjects:
Philosophy
The paper argues that presentists should challenge the premises of the grounding objection instead of opting for the relocation strategy.
The Regress of Pure Powers Revisited
Published: Apr 03, 2015 by The European Journal of Philosophy
Authors: R. D. Ingthorsson
Subjects:
Philosophy
The paper elucidates in better detail than before the dispute about whether or not the view that all basic properties are pure powers entails a vicious infinite regress. It is argued that it does entail a vicious infinite regress, pace the objections from Alexander Bird and George Molnar.
Properties: Qualities, Powers, or Both?
Published: Apr 03, 2013 by Dialectica
Authors: R. D. Ingthorsson
Subjects:
Philosophy
I argue that that qualities and powers are considered incompatible types of properties because of misguided epistemological consideration. I present a way of thinking of fundamental properties as both qualities and powers.
News
New Job
By: Rögnvaldur Dadi Ingthorsson
Subjects: Philosophy
Delighted to announce that I have just started my job as Associate Professor in Philosophy at the University of Helsinki.
Videos
Published: Nov 12, 2018
A brief introduction to core issues in the philosophy of time, available to a general audience.