Edward N. Zalta

Address: CSLI/Cordura Hall, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
Phone: 650-723-0488 (work)
Marital Status: married, no children
E-Mail: zalta@stanford.edu
Home Page: https://mally.stanford.edu/zalta.html

Education

Ph.D., Philosophy, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, February 1981
(Thesis Director: Terence Parsons)

B.A., Cum Laude, Ideas and Methods, Rice University, May 1975
(approved by the departments of Philosophy, Biology, Behavioral Science, and Music)

Areas of Specialization

Metaphysics (Ontology) and Epistemology

Philosophy of Mathematics

Philosophical Logic/Philosophy of Logic

Computational Metaphysics

Areas of Competence

Philosophy of Language/Intensional Logic

Philosophy of Mind/Intentionality

Contemporary Analytic Philosophy

Contemporary History of Philosophy: Bolzano, Brentano, Husserl, Meinong, Frege, Russell, early Wittgenstein, Carnap, Quine

Modern Philosophy: Rationalists, Empiricists, Kant

Professional Experience

Senior Research Scholar
Philosophy Department, Stanford University
September 2021 – present

Senior Research Scholar
Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University
September 1997 – August 2021

Senior Researcher
Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University
September 1989 – August 1997

Acting Assistant Professor
Department of Philosophy, Stanford University
September – August: 1991–1992, 1990–1991, 1989–1990, 1988–1989, 1987–1988, 1986–1987, 1985–1986

Postdoctoral Fellow
Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University
September 1984 – August 1986

Assistant Professor
Department of Philosophy, Rice University
September 1981 – August 1982

Other Professional Experience

Consulting Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Stanford University (September 1996 – August 1997)

Acting Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Stanford University (Spring Quarter, 1996)

Visiting Professor, Institut für Philosophie, Universität Salzburg (March 2003, June 1995, June 1992, June 1990)

Visiting Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Auckland, New Zealand (Spring Term, 1994)

Visiting Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Auckland, New Zealand (March 1981 – August 1981)

Teaching Associate, Department of Philosophy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (AYs: 1978–79, 1979–80; and Fall Semester, 1980)

Awards and Fellowships

K. Jon Barwise Prize, 2016, American Philosophical Association/Committee for Philosophy and Computers.
[See https://www.apaonline.org/page/barwise for details.]

Simon Covey Award, June 2009, The International Association for Computing and Philosophy. [See https://www.iacap.org/awards/ for details.]

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Grant #2005–6238, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Project, $190,000, September 1, 2005 – October 31, 2008

National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Preservation and Access Award #PA-51255-05, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Project, $150,000, October 2005 – September 2007

National Endowment for the Humanities, Challenge Grant Division Award #CH-50156, SOLINET/Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, $500,000, January 2005 – December 2008, coauthos: Colin Allen and Sandra Nyberg

National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Preservation and Access Award #PA-50133-03, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Project, $301,000, October 2003 – September 2005, co-author: Colin Allen

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Officer’s Grant, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Project, $43,000, February 2002 – August 2002, co-author: Colin Allen

National Science Foundation Grant, Digital Libraries Initiative II Award #IIS-9981549, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Project, $528,000, October 2000 – September 2003, coauthors: Colin Allen and Uri Nodelman

National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Preservation and Access Award #PA-23167-98, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Project, $131,000, September 1998 – August 2000

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University, 1984–1986

Teaching Associateship, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, 1978–1980

Teaching Assistantship, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, 1977–1978

Graduate Fellowship, Rice University, Spring 1975

Phi Beta Kappa, Rice University, May 1975

Publications

Books

B2. Intensional Logic and the Metaphysics of Intentionality, Cambridge, MA: Bradford Books/The MIT Press, 1988. Author’s preprint available online:
https://mally.stanford.edu/intensional-logic.pdf

B1. Abstract Objects: An Introduction to Axiomatic Metaphysics, Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publishing Co., 1983. Available online, courtesy of D. Reidel:
https://mally.stanford.edu/abstract-objects.pdf

Articles

A60. ‘A Defense of Logicism’, coauthors: Hannes Leitgeb and Uri Nodelman, forthcoming, Bulletin of Symbolic Logic. https://doi.org/10.1017/bsl.2024.28

A59. ‘The Power of Predication and Quantification’, in G.S. Ciola, M. Crimi, and C. Normore (eds.), Existence and Nonexistence in the History of Logic, Open Philosophy, 8/1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2024-0059

A58. ‘The Metaphysics of Routley Star’, The Australasian Journal of Logic, 21/4 (2024): 141–176. https://doi.org/10.26686/ajl.v21i4.9053

A57. ‘Number Theory and Infinity Without Mathematics’, coauthor: Uri Nodelman, Journal of Philosophical Logic, 53 (2024): 1161–1197.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10992-024-09762-7

A56. ‘Mathematical Pluralism’, Noûs, 58/2 (2024): 306–332.
https://doi.org/10.1111/nous.12451

A55. ‘In Defense of Relations’, <em>forthcoming</em>, dialectica, 76/2 (2022): 183–233.

A54. ‘On Anselm’s Ontological Argument in Proslogion II’, coauthor: Paul E. Oppenheimer, History of Philosophy and Logical Analysis, 25 (2022): 327–351.
https://doi.org/10.30965/26664275-bja10054

A53. ‘Revisiting the “Wrong Kind of Object” Problem’, coauthor: Merel Semeijn, Organon F, 28/1 (2021): 168–197.
https://doi.org/10.31577/orgf.2021.28108

A52. ‘Typed Object Theory’, in José L. Falguera and Concha Martínez-Vidal (eds.), Abstract Objects: For and Against (Synthese Library: Volume 422), Cham: Springer, 2020, pp. 59–88.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38242-1_4

A51. ‘Mechanizing Principia Logico-Metaphysica in Functional Type Theory’, coauthors: Daniel Kirchner and Christoph Benzmüller, Review of Symbolic Logic, 13/1 (March 2020): 206–18. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755020319000297

A50. ‘Computer Science and Metaphysics: A Cross-Fertilization’, coauthors: Daniel Kirchner and Christoph Benzmüller; in Open Philosophy, 2 (2019): 230–251. https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2019-0015

A49. ‘Unifying Three Notions of Concepts’, Theoria (Special Issue: Context, Cognition and Communication; Tadeusz Ciecierski and Paweł Grabarczyk, guest eds.), 87/1 (February 2021): 13–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/theo.12187

A48. ‘Mathematical Descriptions’, coauthor: Bernard Linsky, Philosophical Studies, 176/2 (2019): 473–481. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-017-1024-0

A47. ‘Object Theory and Modal Meinongianism’, coauthor: Otávio Bueno, Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 95/4 (2017): 761–778.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00048402.2016.1260609

A46. ‘Automating Leibniz’s Theory of Concepts’, coauthors: Jesse Alama and Paul E. Oppenheimer, in A. Felty and A. Middeldorp (eds.), Automated Deduction – CADE 25: Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Automated Deduction (Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence: Volume 9195), Berlin: Springer, 2015, pp. 73–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21401-6_4

A45. ‘Worlds and Propositions Set Free’, coauthors: Otávio Bueno and Christopher Menzel, Erkenntnis, 79 (2014): 797–820.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-013-9565-x

A44. ‘Foundations for Mathematical Structuralism’, coauthor: Uri Nodelman, Mind, 123/489 (2014): 39–78. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzu003

A43. ‘The Fundamental Theorem of World Theory’, coauthor: Christopher Menzel, Journal of Philosophical Logic, 43/2 (2014): 333–363.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10992-012-9265-z

A42. ‘The Tarski T-Schema is a Tautology (Literally)’, Analysis, 74/1 (2014): 5–11. https://doi.org/10.1093/analys/ant099

A41. ‘A Defense of Contingent Logical Truths’, coauthor: Michael Nelson, Philosophical Studies, 157/1 (2012): 153–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-010-9624-y

A40. ‘Relations Versus Functions at the Foundations of Logic: Type-Theoretic Considerations’, coauthor: Paul E. Oppenheimer, Journal of Logic and Computation, 21 (2011): 351–374. https://doi.org/10.1093/logcom/exq017

A39. ‘A Computationally-Discovered Simplification of the Ontological Argument’, coauthor: Paul E. Oppenheimer, Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 89/2 (June 2011): 333–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048401003674482

A38. ‘Bennett and “Proxy Actualism”’, coauthor: Michael Nelson, Philosophical Studies, 142/2 (2009): 277–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-007-9186-9

A37. ‘Reflections on Mathematics’, in Philosophy of Mathematics: Five Questions, V.F. Hendricks and H. Leitgeb (eds.), New York, London: Automatic Press/VIP, 2007, pp. 313–328.

A36. ‘Reflections on the Logic of the Ontological Argument’, coauthor: Paul E. Oppenheimer, Studia Neoartistotelica, 4/1 (2007): 28–35.
https://doi.org/10.5840/studneoar20074114

A35. ‘Steps Toward a Computational Metaphysics’, coauthor: Branden Fitelson, Journal of Philosophical Logic, 36/2 (April 2007): 227–247.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10992-006-9038-7

A34. ‘Deriving and Validating Kripkean Claims Using the Theory of Abstract Objects’, Noûs, 40/4 (December 2006): 591–622.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0068.2006.00626.x

A33. ‘Essence and Modality’, Mind, 115/459 (July 2006): 659–693.
https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzl659

A32. ‘What is Neologicism?’, coauthor: Bernard Linsky, The Bulletin of Symbolic Logic, 12/1 (2006): 60–99. https://doi.org/10.2178/bsl/1140640944

A31. ‘A Nominalist’s Dilemma and its Solution’, coauthor: Otávio Bueno, Philosophia Mathematica, 13/3 (2005): 297–307. https://doi.org/10.1093/philmat/nki033

A30. ‘In Defense of the Law of Noncontradiction’, in The Law of Noncontradiction: New Philosophical Essays, G. Priest, J.C. Beall, and B. Armour-Garb, eds., Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, pp. 418–436.
https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199265176.003.0024

A29. ‘Frege, Boolos, and Logical Objects’, coauthor: David J. Anderson, Journal of Philosophical Logic, 33/1 (February 2004): 1–26.
https://doi.org/10.1023/B:LOGI.0000019236.64896.fd

A28. ‘Referring to Fictional Characters’, Dialectica, 57/2 (2003): 243–254.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-8361.2003.tb00269.x

A27. ‘A Common Ground and Some Surprising Connections’, Southern Journal of Philosophy, Volume XL, Supplement 2002, 1–25 (Keynote Lecture to the Spindel Conference entitled Origins: The Common Sources of the Analytic and Phenomenological Traditions, September 2001, University of Memphis).
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-6962.2002.tb01921.x

A26. ‘Fregean Senses, Modes of Presentation, and Concepts’, Philosophical Perspectives (Noûs Supplement), 15 (2001): 335–359.
https://doi.org/10.1111/0029-4624.35.s15.15

A25. ‘Neo-Logicism? An Ontological Reduction of Mathematics to Metaphysics’, Erkenntnis, 53/1–2 (2000): 219–265. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005614102033

A24. ‘The Road Between Pretense Theory and Object Theory’, in Empty Names, Fiction, and the Puzzles of Non-Existence, A. Everett and T. Hofweber (eds.), Stanford: CSLI Publications, 2000, pp. 117–147.

A23. ‘How to Say Goodbye to the Third Man’, coauthor: Francis Jeffry Pelletier, Noûs, 34/2 (June 2000): 165–202. https://doi.org/10.1111/0029-4624.00207

A22. ‘A (Leibnizian) Theory of Concepts’, Philosophiegeschichte und logische Analyse / Logical Analysis and History of Philosophy, 3 (2000): 137–183.

A21. ‘Natural Numbers and Natural Cardinals as Abstract Objects: A Partial Reconstruction of Frege’s Grundgesetze in Object Theory’, Journal of Philosophical Logic, 28/6 (1999): 619–660. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004330128910

A20. ‘Mally’s Determinates and Husserl’s Noemata’, in Ernst Mally—Versuch einer Neubewertung, A. Hieke (ed.), St. Augustin: Academia-Verlag, 1998, pp. 9–28.

A19. ‘A Classically-Based Theory of Impossible Worlds’, Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic, 38/4 (Fall 1997): 640–660 (Special Issue, Graham Priest, Guest Editor). https://doi.org/10.1305/ndjfl/1039540774

A18. ‘The Modal Object Calculus and its Interpretation’, in Advances in Intensional Logic, M. de Rijke (ed.), Dordrecht: Kluwer, 1997, pp. 249–279.

A17. ‘In Defense of the Contingently Nonconcrete’, coauthor: Bernard Linsky, Philosophical Studies (Special Issue entitled ‘Possibilism and Actualism’), 84/2-3 (December 1996): 283–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354491

A16. ‘Naturalized Platonism vs. Platonized Naturalism’, coauthor: Bernard Linsky, The Journal of Philosophy, xcii/10 (October 1995): 525–555.
https://doi.org/10.2307/2940786

A15. ‘Two (Related) World Views’, Noûs, 29/2 (1995): 189–211.
https://doi.org/10.2307/2215658

A14. ‘In Defense of the Simplest Quantified Modal Logic’, coauthor: Bernard Linsky, Philosophical Perspectives (Volume 8: Logic and Language), J. Tomberlin (ed.), Atascadero, CA: Ridgeview, 1994, pp. 431–58.
https://doi.org/10.2307/2214181

A13. ‘Twenty-Five Basic Theorems in Situation and World Theory’, Journal of Philosophical Logic, 22/4 (1993): 385–428. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01052533 [This is a revised and expanded version of ‘A Theory of Situations’, in Situation Theory and Its Applications, J. Barwise, J. Gawron, G. Plotkin, and S. Tutiya (eds.), Stanford: Center for the Study of Language and Information Publications, 1991, pp. 81–111.]

A12. ‘A Philosophical Conception of Propositional Modal Logic’, Philosophical Topics 21/2 (Fall 1993): 263–281. https://doi.org/10.5840/philtopics199321213

A11. ‘Replies to the Critics’, Philosophical Studies, 69/2-3, (March 1993): 231–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00990087

A10. ‘On Mally’s Alleged Heresy: A Reply’, History and Philosophy of Logic, 13/1 (1992): 59–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/01445349208837194

A9. ‘On the Logic of the Ontological Argument’, coauthor: Paul E. Oppenheimer, Philosophical Perspectives 5 (1991): 509–529. https://doi.org/10.2307/2214107 (Selected for republication in The Philosopher’s Annual: 1991, Volume XIV (1993): 255–275.)

A8. ‘Is Lewis a Meinongian?’, coauthor: Bernard Linsky, Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 69/4 (December 1991): 438–453.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00048409112344871

A7. ‘Singular Propositions, Abstract Constituents, and Propositional Attitudes’, Themes from Kaplan, J. Almog, J. Perry, and H. Wettstein (eds.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989, pp. 455–78.

A6. ‘Logical and Analytic Truths That Are Not Necessary’, The Journal of Philosophy, 85/2 (February 1988): 57–74. https://doi.org/10.2307/2026992

A5. ‘A Comparison of Two Intensional Logics’, Linguistics and Philosophy, 11 (February 1988): 59–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00635757

A4. ‘On the Structural Similarities Between Worlds and Times’, Philosophical Studies, 51/2 (March 1987): 213–239. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353648

A3. ‘Lambert, Mally, and the Principle of Independence’, Grazer Philosophische Studien, 25/26 (1985/1986): 447–459. https://doi.org/10.5840/gps1985/8625/2620

A2. ‘Meinongian Type Theory and Its Applications’, Studia Logica, 41/2–3
(1982): 297–307. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00370351

A1. ‘An Alternative Theory of Nonexistent Objects’, coauthor: Alan McMichael, Journal of Philosophical Logic, 9 (1980): 297–313.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00248396

Critical Studies, Published Letters, and Reviews

C3. ‘Reply to P. Ebert and M. Rossberg’s Friendly Letter of Complaint’ , in Reduction – Abstraction – Analysis (Proceedings of the 31st International Ludwig Wittgenstein-Symposium in Kirchberg, 2008), H. Leitgeb and A. Hieke (eds.), Kirchberg am Wechsel: Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society, 2009, pp. 311–319

C2. ‘Mathematics: Truth and Fiction?’, coauthor: Mark Colyvan, (Critical Study of Mark Balaguer’s Platonism and Anti-Platonism in Mathematics), Philosophia Mathematica, 7/3 (1999): 336–349.

C1. ‘Review of Daniel Dennett’s The Intentional Stance’, Review of Metaphysics, xliii/2 (December 1989): 397–400.

Entries in Reference Works

R5. ‘Logic and Metaphysics’, Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, xxvii/2 (April–June 2010): 155–184; reprinted in A. Gupta and J. van Benthem (eds.), Logic and Philosophy Today: Volume 2 (Studies in Logic: Volume 30), London: College Publications, pp. 153–182.

R4. ‘Frege’s Theorem and Foundations for Arithmetic’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/frege-theorem/.

R3. ‘Gottlob Frege’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/frege/.

R2. ‘Fictional Truth, Objects, and Characters’, Blackwell Companion to Metaphysics, Jaegwon Kim and Ernest Sosa (eds.), Oxford: Blackwell, 1992

R1. ‘Systematic Metaphysics’, Handbook on Metaphysics and Ontology, Hans Burkhardt and Barry Smith (eds.), Philosophia Verlag, 1991

Online Monographs

O2. Basic Concepts in Modal Logic (an intermediate text in modal logic)
https://mally.stanford.edu/notes.pdf

O1. Principia Logico-Metaphysica (cumulative list of theorems in object theory)
https://mally.stanford.edu/principia.pdf

Extracurricular Refereed Publications

E9. ‘The Funding Experience of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy’, coauthor: Uri Nodelman, Information Standards Quarterly, 22/4 (Fall 2010): 15–16.

E8. ‘The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: A University/Library Partnership in Support of Scholarly Communications and Open Access’, College & Research Libraries News, 67/8 (September 2006): 502–504, 507.

E7. ‘The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: A Developed Dynamic Reference Work’, coauthors: Colin Allen and Uri Nodelman, Metaphilosophy, 33/1-2 (January 2002): 210-228; reprinted in Cyberphilosophy: The Intersection of Philosophy and Computing, James H. Moor and Terrell Ward Bynum, (eds.), Walden, MA: Blackwell, 2002, pp. 201-218

E6. ‘Lookupd Problems in Apple’s Mac OS X Server’, coauthor: Colin Allen, in the Stepwise Information Server web pages (online publication), May 20, 1999. No longer available at the original URL:
http://www.stepwise.com/Articles/Technical/Lookupd.html
Preprint available at https://mally.stanford.edu/Lookupd.html

E5. ‘A Solution to the Problem of Updating Encyclopedias’, coauthor: Eric Hammer, Computers and the Humanities, 31/1 (1997): 47–60

E4. ‘Philosophy and the World Wide Web’, APA Newsletter on Computer Use in Philosophy, 94/2 (Spring 1995): 29-33

E3. ‘A Soft Touch’, Piano and Keyboard (formerly: The Piano Quarterly), 165 (November/December 1993): 13

E2. ‘Are Algorithms Patentable?’, Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 35/6 (July/August 1988): 796–799

E1. ‘Two Estrogen Receptors in Reproductive Tissue’, coauthors: Roy Smith, Sharon Clarke, and Robert Taylor, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, 10 (1979): 31–35

Translations of the Above

T6. Chinese translation of [A33], ‘’, Minjing Li (trans.), in Values and Culture, 6 (2009): 168–198, Beijing: Beijing Normal University Publishing Group.

T5. Czech translation of [A9], ‘O Logice Ontologického Důkazu’, Petr Hromek (trans.), in Studia Neoaristotelica, 4/1 (2007): 5–27.

T4. French translation of [A27], ‘Une base commune et quelques liens surprenants’, Jimmy Plourde (trans.), in Actions, Rationalié & Décision/Actions, Rationality & Decision, D. Vanderveken and D. Fisette (eds.), London: College Publications, 2008.

T3. Romanian translation of [A22], ‘O Teorie Leibnizianǎ a Conceptelor’, Delia-Ana Şerbescu (trans.), in Analysis and Metaphysics, 4/2 (Supplement) (December 2005): 7–75.

T2. Chinese translation of [A14], ‘’, Xing Tao Tao (trans.), in Zhexue Yicong [Philosophical Translations], 1 (1994): 45–53, Beijing: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

T1. German translation of [A28], ‘Erzählung als Taufe des Helden: Wie man auf fiktionale Objekte Bezug nimmt’, Arnold Günther (trans.), in Zeitschrift für Semiotik 9/1-2 (1987): 85-95. [Note: This translation appeared 16 years prior to the publication in English.]

Works in Progress

Courses

Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy
Graduate Seminar: Axiomatic Metaphysics (June 2024) (12 lectures)
Graduate Seminar: Axiomatic Metaphysics (June 2022) (12 lectures)
Graduate Seminar: Axiomatic Metaphysics (June 2018) (12 lectures)
Graduate Seminar: Axiomatic Metaphysics (June 2016) (12 lectures)
Graduate Seminar: Axiomatic Metaphysics (June 2014) (12 lectures)
Graduate Seminar: Axiomatic Metaphysics (June 2012) (12 lectures)
Graduate Seminar: Axiomatic Metaphysics (June 2011) (5 lectures)

Lecture Series on The Axiomatic Theory of Abstract Objects, Institute for Logic, Language and Cognition (ILLC), May 22–24, 2017 (5 lectures)

Logic Summer School, Australian National University
Axiomatic Object Theory (December 12–16, 2016) (5 lectures)

Göteborgs Universitet, Department of Philosophy, Linguistics, and Theory of Science
Blockseminar: The Axiomatic Theory of Abstract Objects, May 2–3, 2016
4 lectures

Stockholms Universitet, Department of Philosophy
Blockseminar: The Axiomatic Theory of Abstract Objects, April 25–28, 2016
8 lectures

Lunds Universitet, Department of Philosophy
Blockseminar: The Axiomatic Theory of Abstract Objects, April 21–22, 2016
4 lectures

Stanford University, Department of Philosophy (n/m = Qtr/Yr)
Graduate Seminar: Platonism and Naturalism: 1/96
Graduate Seminar: Object Theory: 1/90
Graduate Seminar: Axiomatic Metaphysics: 3/86
Graduate Seminar: Events: 1-2/85-86
Graduate Seminar: The Semantics of Fiction: 3/85
Mind, Matter, and Meaning (Philosophy 80): 3/92, 3/91, 1/89, 1/88
Metaphysics (Philosophy 187): 1/90
Philosophy of Language (Philosophy 180): 3/89
The British Empiricists (Philosophy 123): 2/91
Basic Concepts in Modal Logic (Philosophy 169): 3/90
Modern Philosophy: Descartes to Kant (Philosophy 102): 2/89, 2/86
Biomedical Ethics (Philosophy 78): 3/96, 1/91, 1/87, 1/86
Computers and Ethics (Philosophy 75): 3/88
Undergraduate Seminar (Philosophy 194): 3/92 (194B), 2/88 (194E)
Basic Concepts in Mathematical Logic (Philosophy 159): 1/86

Universität Salzburg, Institut für Philosophie
Graduate Seminar on Metaphysics and Ontology,
March 2003, June 1995, June 1992, June 1990

University of Auckland (New Zealand), Department of Philosophy
Meaning, Reference, and Truth, Spring 1994
Philosophy of Language (Graduate), Spring 1994
Philosophy of Religion (Graduate), Spring 1994
Informal Semantics, Terms I, II, 1981
Contemporary Analytic Philosophy, Term I, 1981
Mathematical Logic, Term II, 1981
Biomedical Ethics, Term II, 1981

Rice University, Department of Philosophy
Introduction to Logic, Spring 1982
Philosophical Logic, Spring 1982
Metaphysics, Fall 1981

University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Department of Philosophy
Introduction to Philosophy, Fall 1980, 1979, 1978; Spring 1979
Biomedical Ethics, Spring 1980

Invited Lectures

Invited Conference Lectures

Keynote Lecture (via Zoom), Logic and Meaning: A Colloquium on the Legacy of Gottlob Frege, Society for Epistemology and Logic and the National University Federico Villarreal, Lima, Peru, October 1, 2025.

Plenary Lecture, Issues on the (Im)possible Conference, Institute of Philosophy/Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic, May 27–29, 2025.

Invited Lecture, Workshop on ‘Logicism’, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, June 8, 2024.

Invited Lecture, Conference “The Sense of Metaphysics/Ontology: Object, Method, Concept, Grounds, Criticism” (via Zoom), Department of Social Sciences, University of Occupational Safety Management, Katowice, Poland, June 7, 2024.

Invited Lecture, 2nd Pan-American Symposium on the History of Logic, UCLA, June 20, 2023.

Keynote, XIX Brazilian Logic Conference, João Pessoa, Brazil, May 6–10, 2019.
https://ebl2019.ci.ufpb.br/speakers/

Invited Lecture, APA Committee Session (Philosophical Insights from Computational Studies: Why Should Computational Thinking Matter to Philosophers?), Pacific APA, Vancouver, April 17–20, 2019

Keynote, Formal Methods and Science in Philosophy III Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 11–13, 2019,
https://www.iuc.hr/conference-details.php?id=326

Invited Lecture, Conference on Logic and Theoretical Philosophy, Tsinghua University, Beijing, October 27–28, 2018,
http://tsinghualogic.net/JRC/?p=1079

Keynote, Bhaktivedanta Institute Conference on Mathematics and Reality, Indian Institute of Technology/Bhubaneswar, October 6–7, 2018,
http://aissq.binstitute.org/speakers.html

Keynote, IACAP 2018 (International Association for Computing and Philosophy, Annual Meeting), Warsaw, June 21–23.

Workshop, “Intensional Logic and Metaphysics of Intentionality 30 years later”, University of Warsaw, June 20, 2018,
http://www.ccc-conference.org/past_ccc/2018/post-conference-workshop.html

Keynote, 2nd Conference on Context, Cognition and Communication (“Contexts, Concepts, and Objects”), University of Warsaw, June 16–19, 2018,
http://www.ccc-conference.org/past_ccc/2018/index.html

Invited Lecture on Computational Metaphysics (‘Barwise Prize Lecture’), Eastern Division Meetings, American Philosophical Association, January 2018

Invited Lecture on Type Theory, Workshop on Type Theory, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, May 17, 2017

Invited Lecture, Logic Conference, Philosophy Department, Stockholm University, April 29, 2016

Keynote, University of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Mellon University Graduate Student Philosophy Conference, Pittsburgh, April 9, 2016.

Plenary Invited Lecture, Académie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences, A Coruña, Spain, September 22–25, 2015.

Plenary Invited Lecture, 25th International Conference on Automated Deduction (CADE-25) Berlin, Germany, August 6, 2015.

Invited Lecture, Wikimania Conference, hosted by Wikimedia Foundation, Mexico City, July 17–19, 2015.

Keynote Lecture, Conference on Russell, Federal Fluminensis University, Niteroi, Brazil, April 8–10, 2013.

Workshop Keynote, Between First- and Second-Order Logic Workshop, 4th World Congress and School on Universal Logic, Rio de Janeiro, April 3–7, 2013.

Keynote Lecture, 7th International Conference on Formal Ontology in Information Systems (FOIS 2012), Graz, July 2012.

Keynote Lecture, Symposium on Computational Philosophy, AISB/IACAP World Congress 2012, Birmingham, U.K., July 2012.

Workshop on Computational Metaphysics, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, June 11, 2011.

Workshop on Modality, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, June 5, 2011.

Workshop on Ontological Dependence, University of Bristol, February 12–13, 2011

Workshop on Logic and Philosophy, University of Delhi, Delhi, January 5–6, 2011

Plenary Session, Ontology Conference, North Carolina State University/Raleigh, September 25, 2009, Presentation Title: Three Lines of Investigation at the Metaphysics Research Lab

Covey Award Lecture, 2009 North American Conference on Computing and Philosophy, Indiana University/Bloomington, June 14, 2009, Presentation Title: Achieving Leibniz’s Goal of a Computational Metaphysics

Keynote Lecture, 37th meeting of the Society for Exact Philosophy, University of Alberta/Canada, May 7, 2009, Presentation Title: A (Computational) System of the World

Plenary Session, 31st International Wittgenstein Symposium, Kirchberg, Austria, August 2008, Presentation Title: A Defense of Logicism

Association of Symbolic Logic Meetings, Pasadena, CA, March 2008, Presentation Title: Reflections on Logical Foundations for Mathematics

Plenary Session, Conference on Logic and Cross-Cultural Communication, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China, June 20, 2007, Presentation Title: Logic and a Universal Language

Plenary Session, International Conference, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China, June 16, 2007, Presentation Title: New Results in Computational Metaphysics

London-Paris Workshop, Institut d’Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques (IHPST), Paris, December 16, 2006, Presentation Title: Comparing Two Methods for Introducing Abstracta

Keynote Lecture, II International Colloquium on Metaphysics, Universidade Federale do Rio Grande do Norte, November 8, 2006, Presentation Title: Three Lines of Investigation at the Metaphysics Research Lab

Terence Parsons Fest, Philosophy Department, UCLA, October 28, 2005, Presentation Title: Parsons’ Bridge Principle and the Philosophy of Mathematics

Plenary Session, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China, May 20, 2004, Presentation Title: Frege’s Context Principle, Truth, and Reference

Computing and Philosophy Conference, Oregon State University, August 8, 2003, co-presentation with Branden Fitelson, Presentation Title: Steps Toward a Computational Metaphysics

Young Leibniz Conference, Rice University, April 20, 2003, Presentation Title: Computational Metaphysics and Leibniz’s Work

Keynote Lecture, Conference on Action, Attitudes and Decision, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, October 4, 2002, Presentation Title: Ontology Without Tears: A Solution to the Problem of Abstract Objects (That Even a Naturalist Could Love)

Arché Conference, ‘Does Mathematics Need a Foundation?’, University of St. Andrews, Scotland, August 12, 2002, Presentation Title: Convergence in the Philosophy of Mathematics

Plenary Session, Workshop on Fiction, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale, Vercelli, Italy, June 4 2002, Presentation Title: What is Fictional Discourse About?

Plenary Session, Workshop on Philosophy of Logic and Mathematics, University of Cambridge (Fitzwilliam College), June 1, 2002, Presentation Title: Frege, Boolos, and Logical Objects

Symposium, Pacific Division, APA, March 2002, Presentation Title: How to Derive Important Kripkean Claims (and Validate Other Such Claims)

Keynote Lecture, Spindel Conference, University of Memphis, September 2001, Presentation Title: A Common Ground and Some Surprising Connections

Plenary Session, LOGICA 2000 Conference, Liblice, Czech Republic, June 2000, Presentation Title: What are Mathematical Objects? — Steps Toward a New Philosophy of Mathematics

Plenary Session, Conference on Naturalism, Baylor University, April 2000 (Plenary Session), Presentation Title: Effectiveness Without Design: A Naturalist Philosophy of Mathematics

Plenary Session, 22nd International Wittgenstein Symposium, Austria, August 1999, Presentation Title: A Solution to the Problem of Abstract Objects

Naming, Necessity, and More Conference, University of Haifa, Israel June 1999, Presentation Title: How to Derive Important Kripkean Claims

Plenary Session, International Frege Symposium, Slovenian Society for Analytic Philosophy, Slovenia, November 1998, Presentation Title: Natural Numbers and Natural Cardinals as Abstract Objects: A Partial Reconstruction of Frege’s Grundgesetze in Object Theory

Association of Symbolic Logic Meetings, Los Angeles, March 1998, Presentation Title: Natural Numbers and Natural Cardinals as Abstract Objects: A Partial Reconstruction of Frege’s Grundgesetze in Object Theory

Keynote Lecture, 11th Amsterdam Colloquium, University of Amsterdam, December 1997, Presentation Title: On the Application of Logic to Certain Philosophical Questions

Plenary Session, Workshop on Concepts of Reduction in Logic and Philosophy, 3. Internationaler Kongress der Gesellschaft für Analytische Philosophie, Germany, September 1997, Presentation Title: Two Concepts of Reduction in Object Theory

International Mally Symposium, Universität Salzburg, Austria, June 1992, Presentation Title: Mally’s Determinates and Husserl’s Noemata

Author-Meets-Critics Session, Pacific Division, APA, March 1992, Presentation Title: Intensional Logic and the Metaphysics of Intentionality

Plenary Session, Minnesota Conference on Language and Linguistics, University of Minnesota, October 1989, Presentation Title: Intensional Logic and the Metaphysics of Intentionality

Invited Department Lectures

Lecture (via Zoom), Centrum Filozofii Przyrody Project: ExtenDD (Coming to Terms: Proof Theory Extended to Definite Descriptions and Other Terms), University of Lodz, March 19, 2025.

Lecture (via Zoom), in the Issues Nine Club Series (August – November 2024), Institute of Philosophy/Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic, October 10, 2024.

Colloquium, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, June 6, 2024

Lecture, Workshop (Quantification and Existential Import), Joint Project of the Universität Bochum and Universität Göttingen, September 1, 2023

Logic Colloquium, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, June 6, 2023

Workshop, Lehrstuhl für AI Systems Engineering, Universität Bamberg, 5 lectures, June 1 – June 3, 2023

Seminar, Institut of Philosophy ASCR, Czech Academy of Sciences, 2 lectures, May 29 and May 30, 2023

OCIE Seminar in the History and Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic, Chapman University, October 21, 2022

Colloquium, Lehrstuhl für AI Systems Engineering, Universität Bamberg, June 1, 2022

Lecture Series (5 Lectures), Philosophy Department, Universität Bochum, May 25–27, 2022

Colloquium, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilans Universität, May 12, 2022.

Colloquium, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilans Universität, June 10, 2021, via Zoom.

Colloquium, Department of Philosophy, University of Queensland, April 30, 2021, via Zoom.

Presentation, Google N2Formal Reading Group, April 20, 2021, via Zoom.

Colloquium Logicae, Centre for Logic, Epistemology, and the History of Science (CLE), University of Campinas, October 28, 2020, via Zoom.

Colloquium, Group for Analytic Metaphysics and Epistemology (GAME), Texas A&M University, May 27, 2020, via Zoom.

Colloquium, Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science, University of California/Irvine, November 1, 2019.

Faculty Lecture Series (6 lectures), Faculty of the School of Philosophy at the National Research University’s Higher School of Economics, Moscow, October 7–14, 2019.

Logic Seminar, Philosophy Department, University of Adelaide, December 9, 2016

Logic Seminar, Philosophy Department, Monash University, December 8, 2016

Department Colloquium, Philosophy Department, Göteborgs Universitet, May 4, 2016

University of California/Berkeley, Logic Colloquium, November 20, 2015

University of California/Davis, Logic and Philosophy of Mathematics Workshop, October 21, 2015

AIC Seminar, SRI, June 18, 2013

Faculty Lecture Series (6 lectures), Departamento de Lóxica e Filosofía Moral, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, April 2012.

Lecture Series, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, June 1, 2011 – June 13, 2011.

Philosophy of Mathemathics Seminar, University of Oxford, February 14, 2011

Logic Seminar, University of Cambridge, February 10, 2011

Department of Philosophy, Logic, and Scientific Method, London School of Economics, February 8, 2011

The Philosophical Society, University of Oxford, February 4, 2011

Uniwersytet Opolski, Opole, December 17, 2010

Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Krakow, December 15, 2010

Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski, Lublin, December 14, 2010

Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej, Lublin, December 13, 2010

Uniwersytet Warszawski, Warsaw, December 10, 2010

Philosophy Department, Rice University, November 22, 2010

Seminar, Grupo de Lógica, Lenguaje e Información, Universidad de Sevilla, November 2, 2010.

Colloquium, Departamento de Lóxica e Filosofía Moral, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, October 29, 2010.

Colloquium, Institute for Logic, Cognition, Language and Information, University of the Basque Country, Donostia–San Sebastián, October 27, 2010

Lecture Series, Departament de Lògica, Història, i Filosofia de la Ciència, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, October 21, 22, 25, 2010.

Philosophy Department, Texas A&M University, March 2, 2010.

Special Lab on Computational Metaphysics, Philosophy Department, University of California/Davis, January 28, 2010.

Philosophy Department, University of California/Davis, January 29, 2010.

Logic and Philosophy of Science Department, University of California/Irvine, October29, 2009.

AIC Seminar, SRI, March 5, 2009

Philosophy Department, Princeton University, October 16, 2008

Philosophy Department, Georgetown University, October 14, 2008

Philosophy Department, San José State University, September 30, 2008

Recherches Epistémologiques et Historiques sur les Sciences Exactes et les Institutions Scientifiques (REHSEIS), Université Paris 7, March 12, 2008.

Institut d’Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques (IHPST), Paris, March 11, 2008.

Department of Philosophy, Arizona State University, October 5, 2007

Department of Philosophy, Capitol Normal University, Beijing, China, June 27, 2007

Department of Philosophy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China, June 26, 2007

Institute of Logic and Cognition, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China, June 15, 2007

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru, April 30–May 4

Department of Philosophy, University of Texas/Austin, March 29, 2007.

Arché, St. Andrews University, December 19, 2006

Institut Jean-Nicod, Paris, December 15, 2006

Institute for Logic, Language and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, December 13, 2006

Philosophy Department, Utrecht University, December 14, 2006

Departamento de Filosofia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, November 13, 2006

Centro de Lógica, Epistemologia e História da Ciência (CLE), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, November 10, 2006

Philosophy Department, University of Bristol, March 15, 2006

Jowett Philosophical Society, Oxford University, March 10, 2006

Philosophy Department, Texas A&M University, February 23, 2006

Humanities Informatics Lecture, Glasscock Center, Texas A&M University, February 22, 2006

Philosophy Department, Simon Fraser University, March 11, 2005

Philosophy Department, Chiba University, Japan, December 9, 2004

Philosophy Department, Hokkaido University, Japan, December 3, 6, and 7, 2004

Institute of Logic and Cognition, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China, May 23, 2004

Department of Philosophy, Hong Kong University, May 18, 2004

Philosophy Department, University of South Carolina/Columbia, April 15, 2004

Philosophy Department, Carnegie Mellon, March 4, 2004

Center for the Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, March 2, 2004

Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science, University of California/Irvine, November 21, 2003

Institut für Philosophie, Universität Salzburg, March 13, 2003

Seminar für Philosophie, Logik, und Wissenschaftstheorie, Universität München, March 6, 2003

Dipartimento di Lettere e Filosofia, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy, June 7, 2002

Dipartimento di Filosofia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy, June 6, 2002

Dipartimento di Filosofia, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy, June 5, 2002

Departement d’études cognitive, École Normale Supérieur and Institut Jean-Nicod, Paris, May 30, 2002

Discussion Group, Oriel College, University of Oxford, May 29, 2002

Philosophy Programme, School of Advanced Study, University of London, May 28, 2002

Philosophy Department, Kings College, University of London, May 27, 2002.

Philosophy Department, University of Maryland, March 2002

Philosophy Department, University of Arizona, October 2001

Philosophy Program (RSSS), Australian National University, October 2001

Joint Faculty Seminar, University of Sydney and Macquarie University, October 2001

Dipartimento di Filosofia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy, (Lecture Series), June 2001

Philosophy Department, University of Washington, March 2001

Working Group on History and Philosophy of Logic, Mathematics and Science, University of California/Berkeley, February 2001

Technical Forum, Xerox PARC, February 2001

Philosophy Department, Columbia University, December 2000

Philosophy Department, Notre Dame University, November 2000

Philosophy Department, Indiana University/Bloomington, November 2000

Logic Group, Indiana University/Bloomington, November 2000

Digital Library Seminar, University of California/Berkeley , September 2000

Institut für Logik und Wissenschaftstheorie, Universität Leipzig, Germany, June 2000

Institut für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie, Wissenschafts- und Technikgeschichte, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, June 2000

Philosophy Department, University of St. Andrews, September 1999

Philosophy Department, University of Edinburgh, September 1999

Graduiertenkolleg Kognitionswissenschaft, Universität Hamburg, Germany, December 1998

Studiengang Philosophie, Universität Bremen, Germany, December 1998

Philosophisches Seminar, Universität Bonn, Germany, December 1998

Philosophy Department, University of Tasmania, Australia, September 1998

Philosophy Department, University of Queensland, Australia, July 1998

Center for Cognitive Science, Rutgers University, December 1997

Philosophy Program (RSSS), Australian National University, Australia, July 1997

Philosophy Department, Monash University, Australia, June 1997

Philosophy Department, University of Melbourne, Australia, June 1997

Philosophy Department, University of Colorado/Boulder, February 1997

Philosophy Department, Texas A&M University, November 1995

Philosophy Department, San José State University, San Jose, CA, September 1995

Institut für Philosophie, Universität Salzburg, Austria, June 1995

Institut für Philosophie, Universität Graz, Austria, June 1995

Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft, Universität Tübingen, Germany, June 1995

Seminar für Philosophie, Logik, und Wissenschaftstheorie, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Germany, June 1995

Philosophy Department, University of California/Irvine, February 1995

Philosophy Department, University of California/Santa Barbara, February 1995

Philosophy Department, Ohio State Univesity, November 1994

Philosophy Department, University of Adelaide, Australia, June 1994

Philosophy Department, Monash University, Australia, June 1994

Philosophy Department, University of Melbourne, Australia, June 1994

Philosophy Program (RSSS), Australian National University, Australia, May 1994

Department of Traditional and Modern Philosophy, University of Sydney, Australia, May 1994

Philosophy Department, University of New England, Australia, May 1994

Philosophy Department, University of Queensland, Australia, May 1994

Philosophy Department, University of Otago, New Zealand, April 1994

Philosophy Department, Victoria University, New Zealand, April 1994

Philosophy Department, Massey University, New Zealand, April 1994

Philosophy Department, University of Alberta, Canada, February 1994

Philosophy Department, Western Washington University, January 1994

Philosophy Department, Oregon State University, December 1993

Philosophy Department, University of California/Santa Barbara, November 1993

Philosophy Department, California State University/Northridge, November 1993

Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft, Universität Tübingen, Germany, June 1993

Centrum für Informations- und Sprachverarbeitung, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Germany, May 1993

Institut für Philosophie, Universität Salzburg, Austria May 1993

Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft, Universität Tübingen, Germany, July 1992

Institut für Philosophie, Universität Graz, Austria, June 1992

Seminar für Philosophie, Logik, und Wissenschaftstheorie, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, June 1992

Philosophy Department, University of Houston, March 1991

Seminar für Philosophie, Logik, und Wissenschaftstheorie, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, June 1990

Institut für Philosophie, Universität Salzburg, Austria, August 1989

Philosophy Department, Texas A&M University, March 1989

Philosophy Department, University of Oklahoma, March 1989

Cognitive Science Program, University of California/Berkeley, November 1985

Computer Science Department, Stanford University, March 1983

Philosophy Department, University of Waikato/Hamilton, New Zealand, July 1981

Philosophy Department, Victoria University/Wellington, New Zealand, March 1981