Department of Philosophy

David Dyzenhaus recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 12:24:14 +0000

David Dyzenhaus recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 11/24/2023 - 07:24

Faculty

St. George

Department of Philosophy

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Law

SSHRC

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David Dyzenhaus (supplied image)

David Dyzenhaus, a University Professor in �山ǿ��'s Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Arts & Science’s department of philosophy, has been honoured with a Gold Medal from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

The highest research honour awarded by SSHRC, the Gold Medal recognizes individuals whose leadership, dedication and originality of thought have inspired students and colleagues alike. Dyzenhaus was recognized for his impact on legal philosophy and on defending the rule of law globally.

Dyzenhaus researches the idea of legality in philosophy of law and political thought, constitutionalism, and the modern legal state. His political philosophy expertise includes the works of 17th-century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes.

“My unusual take on Hobbes is that one finds in him the first sophisticated theory of the modern legal state and the rule of law,” says Dyzenhaus.

Dyzenhaus, who holds �山ǿ��’s Albert Abel Chair of Law, is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a corresponding fellow of the British Academy. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honours including a fellowship from the Royal Society of Canada and a 2020 Guggenheim Fellowship.

“David is a renowned scholar and teacher, celebrated by peers and students alike,” said University Professor Jutta Brunnée, dean of the Faculty of Law and James Marshall Tory Dean’s Chair. “It signals a lifetime of academic achievement and extraordinary expertise to receive this very special prize from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.”

“Throughout his career, David has produced a body of work of unusual depth and importance,” said Professor Martin Pickavé, chair of the department of philosophy.

“It is wonderful to see his rich research now recognized with one of the country’s most important national awards.”

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13 �山ǿ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

lanthierj — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:43:09 +0000

13 �山ǿ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 09/05/2023 - 15:43

Department of Biochemistry

Department of Medicine

Department of Philosophy

Department of Psychology

Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hospital for Sick Children

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UHN

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Thirteen faculty members from across the University of Toronto have been appointed Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada – a prestigious distinction given to the country’s most distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

“The University of Toronto congratulates these extraordinary researchers on this important recognition of their dedication, leadership and impact,” says Leah Cowen, �山ǿ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “Across a diverse array of disciplines, they are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges – and their contributions to their respective fields continue to break new ground.”

The new Fellows are:

Ryan Balot of the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Paul Bloom of the department of psychology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Tom Chau of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Robert Gerlai of the department of psychology at �山ǿ�� Mississauga
Alberto Leon-Garcia of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Jason Moffat of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the department of molecular genetics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Amit Oza of the University Health Network (UHN) and the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Daniela Rotin of SickKids and the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Aaron Schimmer of UHN and the department of medical biophysics in in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
William Seager of the department of philosophy at �山ǿ�� Scarborough
Valerie Tarasuk of the department of nutritional sciences in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
R. Paul Thompson of the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science and Technology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Daniel Trefler of the Rotman School of Management

They join more than 350 Fellows of the Royal Society affiliated with �山ǿ��.

Karina Vold awarded AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Futures

lanthierj — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 13:17:18 +0000

Karina Vold awarded AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Futures

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 04/19/2023 - 09:17

Faculty

St. George

Department of Philosophy

Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology

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(supplied image)

Karina Vold, an assistant professor at the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, has been awarded an AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt.

This first cohort of 15 scholars was selected to “solve hard problems in artificial intelligence (AI) through interdisciplinary research.”

Vold’s research – at the intersection of the philosophy of cognitive science and technology, AI and psychology – will contribute to progress against these difficult problems, which include “solving for the technical capabilities of AI, deploying AI responsibly and harnessing AI for the benefit of society.”

“We hope the research progress of this group of exceptional, multidisciplinary scholars inspires new ideas within the global AI community, enables breakthroughs and ensures a future in which we all benefit from this promising technology,” said James Manyika, co-chair of AI2050, in a statement.

Vold is cross-appointed to the department of philosophy and is a faculty associate at the Centre for Ethics and a research lead at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. Before joining the University of Toronto, Vold worked as a post-doctoral research associate at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge.

“I’m very grateful to receive this support from Schmidt Futures,” Vold said. “Machine systems using artificial intelligence are increasingly able to outperform humans at specific tasks, such as beating world champions at Go and solving 50-year-old grand challenges in biology. It will be important to consider how humans can use these extraordinary performances to gain access to new insights, thereby aiding our own learning and knowledge discovery.

“My project will draw on a range of fields including philosophy, psychology, history, education and machine learning research, particularly around explainable and interpretable AI.”

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Centre for Ethics

Joseph Heath wins Donner Prize

lanthierj — Tue, 18 May 2021 23:38:01 +0000

Joseph Heath wins Donner Prize

Community

lanthierj Tue, 05/18/2021 - 19:38

Faculty

St. George

Department of Philosophy

Donner Prize

Faculty of Arts & Science

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Professor Joseph Heath of the Faculty of Arts & Science has won the 2020 Donner Prize for the best book on public policy.

Heath, a professor in the department of philosophy and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, won for The Machinery of Government: Public Administration and the Liberal State which examines how much power rests in the hands of the public service.

“If you look at the field of political philosophy, people spend about 75 per cent of their time talking about democracy and the legislature, maybe 20 per cent of their time talking about courts and the judiciary and practically no time at all talking about the executive branch of government or bureaucracy,” Heath says. “Part of what I’m trying to do in the book is address this power.”

It is the first time Heath has won the Donner Prize, although he was shortlisted for his book, Enlightenment 2.0 in 2014.

“The last time that I was nominated, it was for a popular book that had already had a certain amount of press and a wide readership,” Heath told Artsci News. “This time, it's for a scholarly book that might otherwise have languished in obscurity.”

Professor Ron Deibert of the department of political science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy was also shortlisted for the prize for Reset: Reclaiming the Internet for Civil Society

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Arthur Ripstein receives Killam Prize in humanities

lanthierj — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 17:58:28 +0000

Arthur Ripstein receives Killam Prize in humanities

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 02/03/2021 - 12:58

Faculty

St. George

Killam Prize

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Law

Department of Philosophy

Humanities

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University Professor of law and philosophy Arthur Ripstein has been awarded the prestigious Killam Prize for the Humanities by the Canada Council for the Arts.

The prize recognizes select Canadian researchers who have achieved international scholarly eminence in their fields.

“The Killam Prize is one of the most distinguished recognitions a Canadian scholar can receive,” said University Professor Jutta Brunnée, dean of the Faculty of Law. “Professor Ripstein has made innumerable, signal contributions to legal thought and philosophy, and so it is fitting that the Canadian Council for the Arts has chosen to recognize him with this most prestigious honour.”

A fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and author of several influential books, Ripstein joined �山ǿ��’s department of philosophy in 1987 and was jointly appointed to the Faculty of Law in 1999.

“Arthur Ripstein is one of the most important legal and political philosophers in the world. The Killam Prize could not have gone to someone more deserving,” said Martin Pickavé, chair of the department of philosophy in the Faculty of Arts & Science. “Over the last 35 years, Arthur has crafted an impressive and hugely influential body of work while at the same time inspiring many students in law as well as in philosophy by his outstanding presence in the classroom.”

The Killam Prize is “such a high honour,” Ripstein said. “To be recognized for an academic career working in two disciplines – I am thrilled and humbled.”

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Arthur Ripstein and Douglas Stephan awarded Killam Prizes

lanthierj — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 17:54:04 +0000

Arthur Ripstein and Douglas Stephan awarded Killam Prizes

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 02/03/2021 - 12:54

Faculty

St. George

Killam Prize

Canada Council for the Arts

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Law

Department of Philosophy

Department of Chemistry

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(Stephan by Camilla Pucholt)

University Professor of law and philosophy Arthur Ripstein and University Professor of chemistry Douglas Stephan have each been awarded the prestigious Killam Prize by the Canada Council for the Arts.

The prize recognizes select researchers who have achieved international scholarly eminence in their fields. Ripstein was recognized for his contributions to humanities and Stephan for his contributions to natural sciences.

A fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and author of several influential books, Ripstein joined the University of Toronto’s department of philosophy in the Faculty of Arts & Science 1987 and was jointly appointed to the Faculty of Law in 1999. He delivered the 2019 Tanner Lectures at UC Berkeley, one of the most prestigious lecture series in philosophy.

Stephan is the recipient of the 2019 John C. Polanyi Award, the 2019 E.W.R. Steacie Award, a 2020 Guggenheim Fellowship, and a 2009 Killam Research Fellowship. He joined the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science in 2008 as a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair after 25 years as a faculty member at the University of Windsor.

“The Killam Prize is an important recognition for these extraordinary University Professors whose research continues to make a profound impact on their fields, said University Professor Ted Sargent, vice-president, research and innovation and strategic initiatives. “One of the world’s leading legal and political philosophers, Arthur Ripstein is renowned for his scholarship in the history of philosophy, theories of justice, tort law and the law of war. Douglas Stephan’s game-changing discovery of a new class of catalysts led to the production of more sustainable plastics – and he continues to explore how chemistry can address such challenges as greenhouse gas remediation and energy efficient catalysis.

“The University of Toronto congratulates University Professors Stephan and Ripstein and thanks the Canada Council and the Killam Trusts for their support of our outstanding scholars.”

Lecturers, instructors recognized for excellence in teaching

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 11:28:22 +0000

Lecturers, instructors recognized for excellence in teaching

Teaching

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 08/07/2020 - 07:28

Faculty

St. George

Faculty of Arts & Science

Department of Philosophy

Women & Gender Studies Institute

New College

Department of Statistical Sciences

African Studies

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Clockwise from top left; Emma McClure, S. Trimble, Khalid Ahmed, Alex Stringer

The University of Toronto's Faculty of Arts & Science has recognized sessional lecturers and graduate student course instructors with Superior Teaching Awards for their exceptional contributions.

These annual awards recognize excellence in classroom instruction, innovative teaching methods and student engagement by sessional lecturers and graduate student instructors, as evidenced by the ability to help students develop an understanding of the subject matter and ability to create an engaging and rewarding learning experience.

The recipients of the 2020 Faculty of Arts & Science Superior Teaching Awards are:

Khalid Ahmed, senior lecturer, African studies program, New College
S. Trimble, sessional instructor, Women & Gender Studies Institute
Emma McClure, graduate student course instructor, department of philosophy
Alex Stringer, graduate student course instructor, department of statistical sciences

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Joseph Heath receives Killam Research Fellowship

lanthierj — Tue, 26 May 2020 14:00:02 +0000

Joseph Heath receives Killam Research Fellowship

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 05/26/2020 - 10:00

Faculty

Killam Research Fellowship

Department of Philosophy

Faculty of Arts & Science

landscape

(photo by Graham Powell)

Joseph Heath, a professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s department of philosophy has been awarded a Killam Research Fellowship from the Canada Council for the Arts.

“I am pleased and honored to have been awarded a Killam Research Fellowship,” says Heath. “The project that I will be working on is entirely new, yet also represents a return to my roots as a student of critical theory.”

The two-year fellowship, valued at $70,000 per year, is intended to support research projects of broad significance and widespread interest. Heath's project will address a foundational issue in modern scholarship – how to criticize society. He will create a handbook of best critical practices for social scientists, emphasizing a need for social critics to be transparent concerning their own evaluative standards.

“Throughout my career, I have been active not only in philosophical research, but also in public debates on a wide range of issues. This project is my opportunity to reflect upon those experiences and attempt to sort out what works and what doesn't, and what academics have to offer when they weigh in on political questions.”

A fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Heath received a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellowship in 2012 and the 2014 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing for his book of popular philosophy, Enlightenment 2.0.

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David Dyzenhaus receives Guggenheim Fellowship

lanthierj — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 18:23:51 +0000

David Dyzenhaus receives Guggenheim Fellowship

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 04/22/2020 - 14:23

Faculty

St. George

Guggenheim Fellowships

Faculty of Law

Faculty of Arts & Science

Department of Philosophy

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David Dyzenhaus, a University Professor of law and of philosophy, has been awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship.

It’s one of the world’s most distinguished honours for mid-career academics who have produced groundbreaking scholarly work and continue to show exceptional promise for future research.

Dyzenhaus, who joined �山ǿ��’s Faculty of Law and Faculty of Arts & Science in 1990, grew up in South Africa during apartheid. His academic career has been devoted to the study of how law can simultaneously be a tool of oppression and emancipation. His research examines the practical implications of political and legal philosophy in scenarios such as conflict, occupation, states of emergency and transitional justice.

Dyzenhaus has published four books, edited or co-edited 12 collections of essays and authored more than 100 academic articles. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honours including a Fellowship from the Royal Society of Canada.

“The Guggenheim Fellowship will provide me with the time to research properly my topic and to discipline my thoughts into written form,” says Dyzenhaus, “perhaps to the point where I will have a book ready for publication the following year.”

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Three University of Toronto professors honoured with prestigious Guggenheim Fellowships

lanthierj — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 18:17:46 +0000

Three University of Toronto professors honoured with prestigious Guggenheim Fellowships

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 04/22/2020 - 14:17

Faculty

St. George

Guggenheim Fellowships

Faculty of Law

Faculty of Arts & Science

Department of Chemistry

Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures

Department of Philosophy

Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies

Centre for Diaspora & Transnational Studies

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From left: David Dyzenhaus, Anna Shternshis and Douglas W. Stephan

Three University of Toronto scholars – David Dyzenhaus, Anna Shternshis and Douglas W. Stephan – are among the recipients of this year’s prestigious Guggenheim Fellowships.

“Congratulations to Professors Dyzenhaus, Shternshis and Stephan,” said Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “Receiving a Guggenheim Fellowship is one of the great career achievements for a researcher and these three stellar scholars could not be more deserving of this prestigious recognition.”

Dyzenhaus is a University Professor of law and philosophy, whose academic career has been devoted to the study of how law can at one and the same time be a tool of oppression and emancipation. He joined the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Arts & Science in 1990 and is the recipient of numerous awards and honours including a Fellowship from the Royal Society of Canada.

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Department of Philosophy

David Dyzenhaus recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

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13 �山ǿ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read more about the Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Karina Vold awarded AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Futures

Joseph Heath wins Donner Prize

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Arthur Ripstein receives Killam Prize in humanities

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Arthur Ripstein and Douglas Stephan awarded Killam Prizes

Read more about Ripstein

Read more about Stephan

Lecturers, instructors recognized for excellence in teaching

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Joseph Heath receives Killam Research Fellowship

David Dyzenhaus receives Guggenheim Fellowship

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Three University of Toronto professors honoured with prestigious Guggenheim Fellowships

Read the Faculty of Arts & Science story