Associate Professor of Philosophy

B.A., Trinity College

Ph.D., Boston University

Personal Statement on Philosophy:

Human beings are creatures of reason, even though we don't always act like it. When we fail to reason, we limit our ability to respond intelligently to what's happening around us, and we cut ourselves off from sources of profound fulfillment. Unfortunately, almost no one in the media or society at large encourages us to be intelligent, so colleges and universities are (or should be) an oasis in the desert. And philosophy is at the center of the oasis, because it is here that we fully exercise reason—freely, comprehensively, rigorously.

Research & Teaching Interests:

Professor Simpson's research focuses on social and political thought in the early modern and modern periods. He teaches courses in the Philosophy Department and the Honors Core Curriculum.

Select Publications:

• “Rousseau, Jean Jacques,” International Encyclopedia of Ethics, eds. Hugh LaFolette et al. (Blackwell), forthcoming
• Rousseau: A Guide for the Perplexed (New York: Continuum, 2007) [Translated into Portuguese, Compreender Rousseau (Vozes, 2009)]
• “A Paradox of Sovereignty in the Social Contract,” Journal of Moral Philosophy (April 2006)