Academic interests and Background
My main research interests are in Plato and in neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics. I am engaged in two general research projects. The first concerns the philosophical significance of Plato's dramatic portrayal of virtue: my book, Plato on Comedy and Tragedy: The Role of Drama in the Pursuit of Happiness, is forthcoming with Cambridge University Press. The second concerns the nature of happiness or well-being: I am co-PI of the Modelling Human Happiness (ModHap) project, an interdisciplinary investigation into well-being that aims to develop empirically testable models of happiness that are inspired by core ideas in ancient ethics, especially Aristotle.
As an undergraduate, I studied Philosophy at Vassar College, and I did my graduate work at Boston University, where I completed the Dual Degree program in Philosophy and Classical Studies. Before coming to the University of Oslo, I was Associate Professor at Marquette University.