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4. Joel Vincent Walmsley

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Biography

Joel Walmsley joined the Department of Philosophy in 2006, having completed a BA in Psychology, Philosophy and Physiology at Oxford University, and an MA and PhD in Philosophy at the University of Toronto. His research interests are in philosophy of cognitive science (especially concerning Artificial Intelligence and Dynamical Systems Theory), in philosophy of science (especially concerning the concept of explanation) and in philosophy of mind (especially concerning emergence, reductionism and the "extended mind" hypothesis).‍

Research Interests

Areas of Specialisation: Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Cognitive Science

Areas of Competence: Epistemology, Metaphysics.

Broadly speaking my main research interests lie at the intersection of philosophy of mind and philosophy of science. I'm particularly interested in the way in which cognitive science draws on -- and develops -- debates and concepts in those areas of philosophy, and in applying current empirical research to classical philosophical problems.

More specifically, I have written on: artificial intelligence and the way in which the mathematical formalism of dynamical systems theory has been applied to cognition (both natural and artificial); theories of explanation and how they apply to cognitive and psychological phenomena especially; the "extended mind" hypothesis, and "situated" approaches to cognition that regard aspects of the body and the environment (both physical and social) as essential to psychological processes and their explanation; the concepts of emergence and reduction, both as attempts to address the age-old "mind-body problem" and as ways of explaining complex phenomena in empirical psychology and social science.

Research Grants

	Project	Funding Body	Start Date	End Date	Award
	Cambridge Study of the Mind Project	Foundation Funded Research	01-FEB-17	30-JUN-17	€2,150.00

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Publications

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Books

	Year	Publication
	(2022)	C.D. Broad: Key Unpublished Writings. Joel Walmsley (Ed.) (2022) C.D. Broad: Key Unpublished Writings. UK: Routledge.   [Details]
	(2012)	Mind and Machine. Joel Walmsley (2012) Mind and Machine. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. [Details]
	(2006)	Mind: A Historical and Philosophical Introduction to the Major Theories. A. Kukla and J. Walmsley; (2006) Mind: A Historical and Philosophical Introduction to the Major Theories. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishers.   [Details]

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Book Chapters

	Year	Publication
	(2023)	'“Computer Says No”: Artificial Intelligence, Gender Bias, and Epistemic Injustice' Joel Walmsley (2023) '“Computer Says No”: Artificial Intelligence, Gender Bias, and Epistemic Injustice' In: Mary L. Edwards, S. Orestis Palermos (eds). Feminist Philosophy and Emerging Technologies. New York: Routledge.   [Details]
	(2017)	'Artificial Intelligence, Recent Work' Walmsley, J (2017) 'Artificial Intelligence, Recent Work' In: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. UK: Taylor & Francis.   [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'Why, Why, Why? Louis C.K. on Explanatory Regress' Walmsley, J (2016) 'Why, Why, Why? Louis C.K. on Explanatory Regress' In: Mark Ralkowski (eds). Louis C.K. and Philosophy. Chicago: Open Court. [Details]
	(2004)	'A theory's predictive success does not warrant belief in the unobservable entities it postulates' Kukla, A and Walmsley, J; (2004) 'A theory's predictive success does not warrant belief in the unobservable entities it postulates' In: Contemporary debates in the philosophy of science. [Details]

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Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2024)	'The Right to Freedom of Thought: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the UN Special Rapporteur’s Report on Freedom of Thought' O’Callaghan, P., Cronin, O., Kelly, B. D., Shiner, B., Walmsley, J., & McCarthy-Jones, S. (2024) 'The Right to Freedom of Thought: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the UN Special Rapporteur’s Report on Freedom of Thought'. The International Journal of Human Rights, 28 (1):1-23 [DOI] [Details]
	(2021)	'Artificial intelligence and the value of transparency' Walmsley, Joel (2021) 'Artificial intelligence and the value of transparency'. AI & Society, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details]
	(2020)	'The worst-motive fallacy: A negativity bias in motive attribution' Walmsley, Joel; O'Madagain Cathal (2020) 'The worst-motive fallacy: A negativity bias in motive attribution'. Psychological Science, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details]
	(2015)	'Emergence, group judgment and the discursive dilemma' Walmsley J. (2015) 'Emergence, group judgment and the discursive dilemma'. Mind and Society, 14 (2):185-201 [DOI] [Details]
	(2014)	'The Emergence of Borders: Moral Questions Mapped Out' Walmsley, J and Nine, C. (2014) 'The Emergence of Borders: Moral Questions Mapped Out'. Russian Sociological Review, 13 (4):42-59 [DOI] [Full Text] [Details]
	(2010)	'Emergence and reduction in dynamical cognitive science' Walmsley, J; (2010) 'Emergence and reduction in dynamical cognitive science'. New Ideas In Psychology, 28 :274-282 [DOI] [Details]
	(2008)	'Methodological situatedness; or, DEEDS worth doing and pursuing' Walmsley, J; (2008) 'Methodological situatedness; or, DEEDS worth doing and pursuing'. Cognitive Systems Research, 9 :150-159 [DOI] [Details]
	(2008)	'Explanation in dynamical cognitive science' Walmsley, J (2008) 'Explanation in dynamical cognitive science'. Minds and Machines, 18 :331-348 [DOI] [Details]
	(2005)	'Mysticism and Social Epistemology' Kukla, A and Walmsley, J; (2005) 'Mysticism and Social Epistemology'. Episteme: A Journal of Social Epistemology, 1 (2):139-158 [Details]

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Other Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2011)	'Cognitive Science. An Introduction to the Science of Mind' Walmsley, J (2011) 'Cognitive Science. An Introduction to the Science of Mind' Teorema, 30 (3) :186-191. [Details]
	(2009)	'Review of Robert Logan: The Extended Mind' Walmsley, Joel; (2009) 'Review of Robert Logan: The Extended Mind' University of Toronto Quarterly, 78 (1) :146-147. [Details]
	(2008)	'Where is my mind?' J. Walmsley; (2008) 'Where is my mind?' UCC CACSSS Research Journal, :16-17. [Details]
	(2003)	'There's Room in the Lab for an Armchair' J. Walmsley; (2003) 'There's Room in the Lab for an Armchair' Journal of Consciousness Studies, 10 (3) :89-93. [Details]

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Conference Publications

	Year	Publication
	(2012)	2nd International Association of Buddhist Universities Walmsley, J and Greenberg, I (2012) Mind, Death and Supervenience: Towards a Comparative Dialogue 2nd International Association of Buddhist Universities   [Details]

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Book Reviews

	Year	Publication
	(2011)	Cognitive Science. An Introduction to the Science of Mind. Walmsley, J (2011) Cognitive Science. An Introduction to the Science of Mind. OVIEDO: Book Reviews [Details]

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Invited Lectures

	Year	Publication
	(2017)	British Emergentism Reconsidered. Walmsley, J (2017) British Emergentism Reconsidered. Cambridge University: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2016)	In Defence of Brute Facts. Walmsley, J (2016) In Defence of Brute Facts. UCD Philosophy: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2011)	Life, Emergence and the Status of AI. Walmsley, J (2011) Life, Emergence and the Status of AI. Trinity College Dublin Philosophy Colloquium: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2011)	Explaining Explanation. Walmsley, J (2011) Explaining Explanation. Cork Astronomy Club: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2009)	How do we know our theories are true?. Walmsley, J (2009) How do we know our theories are true?. Cork Astronomy Club: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2007)	You do not have an immortal soul. Walmsley, J (2007) You do not have an immortal soul. Undergraduate Philosophy Society at University College Dublin: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2006)	Explaining Situated Cognition. Walmsley, J (2006) Explaining Situated Cognition. Dept. of Philosophy, Lehigh University: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2006)	Rational Animals: The Fall and Rise of Embodied Thinking. Walmsley, J (2006) Rational Animals: The Fall and Rise of Embodied Thinking. University of Toronto: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2004)	What Kind of Explanation is Dynamical Explanation. Walmsley, J (2004) What Kind of Explanation is Dynamical Explanation. University of Toronto, Metaphysics and Epistemology Forum: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2001)	Emergence and Necessity. Walmsley, J (2001) Emergence and Necessity. University of Toronto, Philosophy Forum: Invited Lectures [Details]
	(2000)	Machines, Thinking, and Thinking Machines: Towards a Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence. Walmsley, J (2000) Machines, Thinking, and Thinking Machines: Towards a Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence. Massey College, Junior Fellows' Lecture Series: Invited Lectures [Details]

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Professional Activities

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Honours and Awards

	Year	Title	Awarding Body
	2013	Nominee for the Fernando Gil International Prize in Philosophy of Science	The Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
	2011	Team Nomination for TAPSS: University Staff Recognition Awards (Enhancing the Student Experience)	University College Cork
	2008	"TAPSS" summer school grant (Team Member)	IRCHSS
	2005	University of Toronto SGS Post-Doctoral Fellowship	University of Toronto
	2004	Ontario Graduate Scholarship	Government of Ontario, Canada
	2004	George Paxton Young Memorial Scholarship	University of Toronto, Department of Philosophy
	2003	Catherall Travelling Scholarship	Massey College, University of Toronto
	2000	Canadian Rhodes Scholars' Foundation Scholarship	Canadian Rhodes Scholars' Foundation
	1998	St. Anne's College, Oxford: Clare Spurgin Scholarship	St. Anne's College Oxford

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Committees

	Committee	Function	From / To
	School of Sociology and Philosophy Executuve Committee	Committee Member, Representative of Philosophy	2014 / 2015
	Management Board, Theory and Philosophy Summer School	Team Member	2008 / 2013
	CACSSS Student Affairs Committee	Committee Member	2013 / 2015

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Conference Contributions

	Year	Publication
	(2016)	Cork Annual Workshop on Social Agency, Walmsley, J (2016) On the Causal Powers of Emergent Group Agents. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Cork Annual Workshop on Social Agency, Cork . [Details]
	(2016)	UCC-UCD Work-in-Progress Colloquium, Walmsley, J (2016) The Worst Motive Fallacy. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], UCC-UCD Work-in-Progress Colloquium, UCC . [Details]
	(2015)	Irish Philosophical Club, Annual Conference 2015, Walmsley, J (2015) There's no such thing as British Emergentism, and it's a good thing too. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Irish Philosophical Club, Annual Conference 2015, Drogheda , 06-FEB-15 - 07-FEB-15. [Details]
	(2014)	Joint Session of the Mind Association and the Aristotelian Society, Walmsley, J (2014) Emergence, Group Judgment and the Discursive Dilemma. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Joint Session of the Mind Association and the Aristotelian Society, Cambridge University . [Details]
	(2013)	Group Agency Workshop, Walmsley, J (2013) Emergence and Group Cognition. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Group Agency Workshop, University College Cork . [Details]
	(2012)	Internation Association of Buddhist Universities, Walmsley, J and Greenberg, I (2012) Mind, Death and Supervenience: Towards a Comparative Dialogue. [Plenary Lecture], Internation Association of Buddhist Universities, Bangkok, Thailand , 29-MAY-12 - 05-JUN-12. [Details]
	(2012)	GroupThink Workshop, Walmsley, J (2012) On the 'proper' treatment of Emergence: Non-reductive Physicalism and Group Agency. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], GroupThink Workshop, University College Dublin . [Details]
	(2011)	Trinity College Metaphysical Society Symposium, Walmsley, J (2011) Explanation Extended. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Trinity College Metaphysical Society Symposium, Trinity College Dublin . [Details]
	(2010)	Joint Session of the Mind Association and the Aristotelian Society, Joel Walmsley; (2010) Coupling, Constitution and the Dynamical Approach to Cognition. [Oral Presentation], Joint Session of the Mind Association and the Aristotelian Society, University College Dublin , 11-JUL-10 - 11-JUL-10. [Details]
	(2008)	Joint Session of the Aristotelian Society and the Mind Association, J. Walmsley; (2008) Explaining Extended Systems. [Oral Presentation], Joint Session of the Aristotelian Society and the Mind Association, University of Aberdeen , 11-JUL-08 - 13-JUL-08. [Details]
	(2007)	Interactivist Summer Institute, J. Walmsley; (2007) Nomological Emergence vs. Functional Reductionism in Dynamical Cognitive Science. [Oral Presentation], Interactivist Summer Institute, Paris , 26-MAY-07 - 29-MAY-07. [Details]
	(2005)	Conference on The Transmission of Knowledge, Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, J. Walmsley; (2005) Interdisciplinarity and the Future of Philosophy. [Oral Presentation], Conference on The Transmission of Knowledge, Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, Toronto , 12-AUG-05 - 12-AUG-05. [Details]
	(2004)	PhilMiLCog Conference, J. Walmsley; (2004) Emergence and `The Dynamical Approach to Cognition. [Oral Presentation], PhilMiLCog Conference, University of Western Ontario , 01-MAY-04 - 02-MAY-04. [Details]
	(2003)	Interactivist Summer Institute, J. Walmsley; (2003) Dynamical Systems, Emergence and Explanation. [Oral Presentation], Interactivist Summer Institute, Copenhagen , 01-JUL-03 - 03-JUL-03. [Details]

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Employment

	Employer	Position	From / To
	Dept. of Philosophy, UCC	Lecturer	01-SEP-06 / 31-DEC-10
	University of Toronto	Post-doctoral research fellow	01-JUN-05 / 01-JUN-06

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Education

	Year	Institution	Qualification	Subject
	2005	University of Toronto	PHD	Philosophy
	2001	University of Toronto	MA	Philosophy
	2000	Oxford University	BA (Hons)	Philosophy & Psychology

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Languages

	Language	Reading	Writing	Speaking
	French	Functional	Functional	Functional

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Outreach Activities

	Description
	Interview in the Irish Times (15/8/2014) on Minds and Cognitive Technology: http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/why-do-we-use-time-saving-devices-to-work-longer-1.1896930
	Interviewed in the 2012 film Wonder House (Directed by Oonagh Kearney): http://www.oonaghkearney.com/index.php?/film/wonder-house/

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Journal Activities

	Journal	Role	To / From
	Philosophy Of Science	Referee	-
	Perspectives	Referee	-
	Topics In Cognitive Science	Referee	-
	Journal Of Media And Communication Studies	Referee	-
	British Journal For The Philosophy Of Science	Referee	-

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Other Activities

	Description
	Book proposal reviewer for Palgrave-Macmillian
	NUI Post-doctoral Fellowship Subject Specialist Evaluator
	NUI Travelling Studentship Subject Specialist Evaluator

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Teaching Activities

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Teaching Interests

Current Post-graduate Research Students

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Recent Postgraduates

	Graduation Year	Student Name	Institution	Degree Type	Thesis Title
	2014	Billy McCarthy	UCC	M.A.	Anti-Essentialist Counterpart Theory
	2013	Jessica Dully	UCC	M.A.	The Relationship Between Extended Cogntion and the Dynamical Hypothesis in Cognitive Science
	2013	Eoin Collins	UCC	M.A.	Both Ends of the Spectrum: Moral Agency, Empathy, Theory of Mind and First Person Accounts of Autism
	2013	Melissa Allen	UCC	M.A.	Typographic Style as an Autopoietic Vehicle of Communication
	2012	Robert Parker	UCC	M.A.	Our Worldview of Reality
	2011	Rob Fehily	UCC	M.A.	The Evolution of Religious Belief
	2009	Brian Haughton	UCC	M.A.	An Investigation into the Synchronic Problem of Personal Identity
	2009	Kevin Power	UCC	M.A.	New Perspectives on Mind: Panpsychist and Zen Implications for Western Philosophy
	2009	Michael Power	UCC	M.A.	Life and its Emergence
	2008	Tara Horgan	UCC	M.A.	The Mystery of Qualia: Developing a Spectrum
	2008	Fionn McGrath	UCC	M.A.	The Layered Picture of Reality
	2008	Michael Connell	UCC	M.A.	A Look at the Evolution of Philosophical and Scientific Conceptions
	2007	Daniel Deasy	UCC	M.A.	Why is there anything except physics?
	2007	Jennifer Judge	UCC	M.A.	Evolution, Creativity and Artificial Intelligence

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Research Information

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Internal Collaborators

	Name	Institute	Country
	Cara Nine	Department of Philosophy, UCC	IRELAND
	Pat O'Mahony	Dept. of Sociology, UCC	IRELAND
	Kieran Keohane	Dept. of Sociology, UCC	IRELAND

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External Collaborators

	Name	Organisation / Institute	Country
	Andre Kukla	University of Toronto	CANADA