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Derek Raymond Thomas

Profile picture for Derek Raymond Thomas

Contact Information

400B Gregory Hall
810 S. Wright St.
Urbana, IL 61801

Office Hours

Spring 2025: W 2-4 PM
Graduate Student

Research Interests

  • Epistemology

  • Logic

     

  • Philosophy of Language

  • Philosophy of Mind

  • Philosophy of Math

Research Description

My current research, broadly, analyzes the epistemic and moral implications of the oversharing of knowledge. In particular, I'm interested in the negative effects, both on an agent's rationalizing capabilities and on their psychological health, of learning either an excess of information or information that is plainly detrimental to the agent. Much of my work runs through the Zollman Effect, the first widely published result advocating that such an oversharing was even possible. 

As an extension of this project, I also study the more practical implications such an effect will have for us as people. The way we approach and think about social media, the way we currently conceive of the reasoning capacities of AI, and even the manner in which we engage with each other on controversial topics - these are all deeply affected by the conclusions of the theoretical results I wish to draw out.

Education

Dual BS, Mathematics and Philosophy, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2019)

 

Awards and Honors

Graduate College Fellow

Courses Taught

  • As Grader:
    • PHIL 222 - Philosophical Foundations of Computer Science
    • PHIL 202 - Symbolic Logic
    • PHIL 223 - Minds & Machines
  • As TA:
    • PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy
  • As Independent Instructor:
    • PHIL 102 - Logic & Reasoning