Zach Tobias

My dissertation sits at the intersection between political philosophy, philosophy of language, and social epistemology. There is a common problem: we have obligations to listen to or understand one another, but we lack the conceptual or expressive resources to do so. This happens, for example, when activists use new concepts that are not yet in widespread use or when they use language, linguistic or epistemic norms, or symbols that are unfamiliar to their audience(s).

I think about how our obligations look in light of these difficulties; how to overcome them; and what happens when we do not or cannot.

I am also graduate minor in Gender and Women's Studies.