Staff profile
Overview
Gaurav Kudtarkar
Research interests
- My primary research interests are the philosophy of mind and metaphysics. In the philosophy of mind, I am especially interested in foundational metaphysical issues such as what constitutes mentality; hence, my interest in intentionality and consciousness. As regards the relation between the two, I am inclined towards intentionalism which is the thesis that phenomenal consciousness is determined by intentionality. And I lean towards the claim that intentionality is the mark of the mental.
- In metaphysics, I am interested in ontological questions concerning what the fundamental entities in the universe are, and how those entities construct the rest of reality. I am particularly interested in fundamental properties, which I believe are universals and powers.
- My PhD thesis wedded together both my primary interests as it concerned the metaphysics of perceptual intentionality. I argued for a novel version of representationalism, which is the thesis that perceptual intentionality is to analyze in terms of content. The highlight my theory is that perceptual content is partly constituted by a unique manner of instantiation of universals in subjects, and is an emergent property.
- Of late, I am thinking hard about a general metaphysical theory of intentionality that will apply to all mental states. In this context, I am also interested in the question of whether AI can develop original intentionality and, therefore, be said to be minded.
- Apart from the above, I am also enthusiastic about continental philosophy, particularly Husserlian phenomenology and Kierkegaardian existentialism.