I have three general areas of research.
Ethics and Technology: my dissertation, Digital Frontiers of Free Speech, asks how free speech values relate to the values of democracy, privacy, and equality in the context of social media, search engines, and internet pornography. I plan to broaden this work to address issues relating to Big Data, algorithmic fairness, and AI alignment.
Moral and Political Philosophy: I am interested in the basic structure of deontic morality (based on rights) and how this informs social and political questions regarding individuals' claims to expressive, religious, and sexual freedom.
Early Modern Philosophy: there is an ongoing scholarly debate about the origins of the concepts of 'natural rights' and 'obligations.' Narrowly, I am interested in these concepts since they are fundamental to modern morality. Broadly, I am interested in how the origins of these concepts reflect major changes in the structure of moral theory.
Papers, Handouts, and Talks
"Privacy and Assurance: On the Right to be Forgotten." Available in Political Philosophy: here.
"Grotius Contra Carneades: Natural Law and the Problem of Self-Interest." Available in the Journal of the History of Philosophy: here.
"Moderation in Moderation: Free Speech, Democracy, and Social Media." (under review)
"Internet Pornography and the Possibility of Gender Equality." (full draft available)
"Hobbes's Minimal Morality." (talk)