https://www.colinmclear.net/research/

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2<meta name=keywords content><meta name=description content="I have broad interests in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and
3the foundations of cognitive science. I pursue these interests historically, by
4querying the European philosophical tradition from the seventeenth through the
5nineteenth centuries. I am particularly interested in German Idealism, and the
6focus of my work thus far has been Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, especially his
7views on the nature of the mind and the forms of its manifestation, both
8rational and non-rational, in animal life. I have written on Kant’s views
9concerning the mind, perception, his theory of human reason and rationality, and
10the broader metaphysical and epistemological views with which these ideas are
11integrated. I’m also very interested in seeing what, if any, connections may be
12made between Kant’s positions and contemporary research programs in the
13philosophy of mind and metaphysics. In particular, I am interested in issues
14pertaining to explanation, the study of mental content, the nature and
15significance of self-consciousness, reasoning and rationality, and animal
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16<meta property="og:url" content="https://www.colinmclear.net/research/"><meta property="og:site_name" content="Colin McLear"><meta property="og:title" content="Research"><meta property="og:description" content="I have broad interests in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and the foundations of cognitive science. I pursue these interests historically, by querying the European philosophical tradition from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. I am particularly interested in German Idealism, and the focus of my work thus far has been Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, especially his views on the nature of the mind and the forms of its manifestation, both rational and non-rational, in animal life. I have written on Kant’s views concerning the mind, perception, his theory of human reason and rationality, and the broader metaphysical and epistemological views with which these ideas are integrated. I’m also very interested in seeing what, if any, connections may be made between Kant’s positions and contemporary research programs in the philosophy of mind and metaphysics. In particular, I am interested in issues pertaining to explanation, the study of mental content, the nature and significance of self-consciousness, reasoning and rationality, and animal cognition."><meta property="og:locale" content="en"><meta property="og:type" content="article"><meta property="article:modified_time" content="2025-11-11T13:44:41-05:00"><meta name=twitter:card content="summary"><meta name=twitter:title content="Research"><meta name=twitter:description content="I have broad interests in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and
17the foundations of cognitive science. I pursue these interests historically, by
18querying the European philosophical tradition from the seventeenth through the
19nineteenth centuries. I am particularly interested in German Idealism, and the
20focus of my work thus far has been Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, especially his
21views on the nature of the mind and the forms of its manifestation, both

22rational and non-rational, in animal life. I have written on Kant’s views
23concerning the mind, perception, his theory of human reason and rationality, and
24the broader metaphysical and epistemological views with which these ideas are
25integrated. I’m also very interested in seeing what, if any, connections may be
26made between Kant’s positions and contemporary research programs in the
27philosophy of mind and metaphysics. In particular, I am interested in issues
28pertaining to explanation, the study of mental content, the nature and
29significance of self-consciousness, reasoning and rationality, and animal
30cognition.">

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30<script type=application/ld+json>{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","headline":"Research","name":"Research","description":"I have broad interests in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and the foundations of cognitive science. I pursue these interests historically, by querying the European philosophical tradition from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. I am particularly interested in German Idealism, and the focus of my work thus far has been Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, especially his views on the nature of the mind and the forms of its manifestation, both rational and non-rational, in animal life. I have written on Kant’s views concerning the mind, perception, his theory of human reason and rationality, and the broader metaphysical and epistemological views with which these ideas are integrated. I’m also very interested in seeing what, if any, connections may be made between Kant’s positions and contemporary research programs in the philosophy of mind and metaphysics. In particular, I am interested in issues pertaining to explanation, the study of mental content, the nature and significance of self-consciousness, reasoning and rationality, and animal cognition.\n","keywords":[],"articleBody":"I have broad interests in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and the foundations of cognitive science. I pursue these interests historically, by querying the European philosophical tradition from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. I am particularly interested in German Idealism, and the focus of my work thus far has been Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, especially his views on the nature of the mind and the forms of its manifestation, both rational and n

30on-rational, in animal life. I have written on Kant’s views concerning the mind, perception, his theory of human reason and rationality, and the broader metaphysical and epistemological views with which these ideas are integrated. I’m also very interested in seeing what, if any, connections may be made between Kant’s positions and contemporary research programs in the philosophy of mind and metaphysics. In particular, I am interested in issues pertaining to explanation, the study of mental content, the nature and significance of self-consciousness, reasoning and rationality, and animal cognition.\nWork in Progress If you’re interested in a draft of any of the following please email me.\nHegel on the subjectivity of Kant’s idealism Upcoming Conferences \u0026 Presentations June 2022. “Kant on Control \u0026 Rationality.” Keynote speaker, Graduate Conference on Freedom, Action, and Control: Conceptions of Rational Agency in Kant and the European Enlightenment; University of Bucharest (online). May 2022. Reason’s Order: Kant on the Conditions of Rational Agency. Book workshop, University of Toronto. October 2021. “Self-Consciousness \u0026 Rationality.” Colloquium, Department of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin–Madison. October 2021. “Self-Consciousness \u0026 Rationality.” Kantian Rationality Lab, Kaliningrad. May 2021. “Self-Consciousness \u0026 Rationality.” Conference on Kant on the Self, Princeton University. February 2020. “On Pure Intuition and Actuality.” Central division of the American Philosophical Association, Chicago IL. December 2019. “Rationality: What Difference Does It Make?” Boston Area Kant Colloquium, Boston, MA. June 2019. “Self-Consciousness and the Freedom of Thought.” China Kant Society, Peking University. Beijing, China. February 2019. Author Meets Critics Session on Melissa Merritt, Kant on Reflection and Virtue. Meeting of the Central Division of the APA. Denver, CO. November 2018. “On the Freedom of the Intellect.” University of Nebraska–Omaha. Omaha, NE. ","wordCount":"351","inLanguage":"en","datePublished":"0001-01-01T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-11-11T13:44:41-05:00","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Colin McLear"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.colinmclear.net/research/"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Colin McLear","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.colinmclear.net/favicon.ico"}}}</script>

30</head><body id=top><header class=header><nav class=nav><div class=logo><a href=https://www.colinmclear.net/ accesskey=h title="Colin McLear (Alt + H)">Colin McLear</a><div class=logo-switches><button id=theme-toggle accesskey=t title="(Alt + T)" aria-label="Toggle theme"><svg id="moon" width="24" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentcolor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><path d="M21 12.79A9 9 0 1111.21 3 7 7 0 0021 12.79z"/></svg><svg id="sun" width="24" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentcolor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="5"/><line x1="12" y1="1" x2="12" y2="3"/><line x1="12" y1="21" x2="12" y2="23"/><line x1="4.22" y1="4.22" x2="5.64" y2="5.64"/><line x1="18.36" y1="18.36" x2="19.78" y2="19.78"/><line x1="1" y1="12" x2="3" y2="12"/><line x1="21" y1="12" x2="23" y2="12"/><line x1="4.22" y1="19.78" x2="5.64" y2="18.36"/><line x1="18.36" y1="5.64" x2="19.78" y2="4.22"/></svg></button></div></div><ul id=menu><li><a href=https://www.colinmclear.net/research/ title=Research><span class=active>Research</span></a></li><li><a href=https://www.colinmclear.net/teaching/ title=Teaching><span>Teaching</span></a></li><li><a href=https://www.colinmclear.net/posts/ title=Blog><span>Blog</span></a></li><li><a href=https://www.colinmclear.net/resources/ title=Resources><span>Resources</span></a></li><li><a href=https://www.colinmclear.net/contact/ title=Contact><span>Contact</span></a></li></ul></nav></header><main class=main><article class=post-single><header class=post-header><h1 class="post-title entry-hint-parent">Research</h1></header><div class=post-content><p>I have broad interests in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and
31the foundations of cognitive science. I pursue these interests historically, by
32querying the European philosophical tradition from the seventeenth through the
33nineteenth centuries. I am particularly interested in German Idealism, and the
34focus of my work thus far has been Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, especially his
35views on the nature of the mind and the forms of its manifestation, both

36rational and non-rational, in animal life. I have written on Kant’s views
37concerning the mind, perception, his theory of human reason and rationality, and
38the broader metaphysical and epistemological views with which these ideas are
39integrated. I’m also very interested in seeing what, if any, connections may be
40made between Kant’s positions and contemporary research programs in the
41philosophy of mind and metaphysics. In particular, I am interested in issues
42pertaining to explanation, the study of mental content, the nature and
43significance of self-consciousness, reasoning and rationality, and animal
44cognition.</p><div id=philpeople-component-follow_btn></div>

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44<h2 id=work-in-progress>Work in Progress<a hidden class=anchor aria-hidden=true href=#work-in-progress>#</a></h2><p>If you’re interested in a draft of any of the following please <a href=mailto:[email protected]>email me</a>.</p><ul><li>Hegel on the subjectivity of Kant’s idealism</li></ul><h2 id=upcoming-conferences-and-presentations>Upcoming Conferences & Presentations<a hidden class=anchor aria-hidden=true href=#upcoming-conferences-and-presentations>#</a></h2><ul><li>June 2022. &ldquo;Kant on Control & Rationality.” Keynote speaker, Graduate Conference on Freedom, Action, and Control: Conceptions of Rational Agency in Kant and the European Enlightenment; University of Bucharest (online).</li><li>May 2022. <em>Reason’s Order: Kant on the Conditions of Rational Agency</em>. Book workshop, University of Toronto.</li><li>October 2021. “Self-Consciousness & Rationality.” Colloquium, Department of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin&ndash;Madison.</li><li>October 2021. “Self-Consciousness & Rationality.” Kantian Rationality Lab,
45Kaliningrad.</li><li>May 2021. “Self-Consciousness & Rationality.” Conference on Kant on the Self, Princeton University.</li><li>February 2020. “On Pure Intuition and Actuality.” <em>Central division of the American
46Philosophical Association</em>, Chicago IL.</li><li>December 2019. “Rationality: What Difference Does It Make?” Boston Area Kant Colloquium, Boston, MA.</li><li>June 2019. “Self-Consciousness and the Freedom of Thought.” China Kant Society, Peking University.
47Beijing, China.</li><li>February 2019. Author Meets Critics Session on Melissa Merritt, <em>Kant on
48Reflection and Virtue</em>. Meeting of the Central Division of the APA. Denver, CO.</li><li>November 2018. “On the Freedom of the Intellect.” University of Nebraska–Omaha. Omaha, NE.</li></ul></div><footer class=post-footer><ul class=post-tags></ul></footer></article></main><footer class=footer><span>&copy; 2025 <a href=https://www.colinmclear.net/>Colin McLear</a></span> ·
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