EDUCATION
Ph.D, Philosophy, Florida State University, 2020
GradCert, Preparing Future Faculty, Florida State University, 2020
GradCert, Preparing Future Professionals, Florida State University, 2020
M.A., Philosophy, University of Colorado Boulder, 2014
Thesis: “Intuitive and Reflective Responses in Philosophy” (On Google Scholar)
GradCert, Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, 2013
B.A., Philosophy, Palm Beach Atlantic University, 2009
EMPLOYMENT
Summer 2019 | Instructor. Department of Philosophy. Florida State University
Summer 2018 | Instructor. Department of Philosophy. Florida State University
SPECIALIZATION & COMPETENCE
Specializations | Cognitive Science, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Science, Moral Psychology
Competence | Ethics, Metaphysics, Modern Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
2019 | “What We Can (And Can’t) Infer About Implicit Bias From Debiasing Experiments”. Synthese. DOI: 10.1007/s11229-019-02128-6 [Free preprint] [Google Scholar]
2019 | “Not All Who Ponder Count Costs: Arithmetic Reflection Predicts Utilitarian Tendencies, but Logical Reflection Predicts both Deontological and Utilitarian Tendencies”. Cognition. DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.06.007 [Preprint] [Preprint + data + scripts]
MANUSCRIPTS UNDER REVIEW
Chapter | “Online Philosophy Conferences: Their History, Methods, and Benefits”. In Sustainable Research: Modeling Nearly Carbon-Neutral Practices in the 21st Century. Invited by The Kule Institute for Advanced Study.
Article | with John Schwenkler, Enoch Lambert, and Matthew Taylor. “One—But Not The Same: Experimentally Distinguishing Numerical from Qualitative Notions of Personal Identity”.
MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION
Article | “Great Minds Do Not Think Alike: Less reflective philosophers and non-philosophers tend towards certain philosophical views.”
Article | “Not All Measures of Reflection Are Equal: Verbal Report & Process Dissociation Protocols”.
Article | with Caleb Reynolds and Paul Conway. “Trait reflectiveness and responses to moral dilemmas: A meta-analytic process dissociation approach.”
WORKING PAPERS
“Justifying The Inference From Predictive Success To Realism: A Growing Burden” [RG] [Academia.edu]
“Apparent Intuitions About Coin Tosses: A Reply To Maher and Lange” [RG] [Academia.edu]
“A Causal Network Account of Willpower” [RG] [Academia.edu]
“Cognitive Styles in Philosophy” [RG] [Academia.edu]
“Do Philosophers Appeal To Intuition? A Computational Corpus Linguistics Approach” [RG] [Academia.edu]
“Convergence Without Reasoning: Making Sense of Sidgwickian ‘Reflective Persons'” [RG] [Academia.edu]
“Cartesian Embodied Conation”
“Aristotle’s Prohairesis In Action”
“Incorporating Neuroscience Into The Network Theory Of Well-being”
“The Roles of Extrinsic & Constitutive Reasons In Cognitive Therapy”
“Different Never To Have Been: Existence And Non-Existence Are Incommensurable”
“Can A Four-Dimensionalist Evade The Non-identity Problem?”
“The Imperative of Integrating US Regions and Households” [RG] [Academia.edu]
“Why Rawls Should Be A Cosmopolitan Egalitarian”
“If Vantage Points Are Properties of Persons”
Short Introductions to (Some) Philosophy: A Free eReader
COMPETITIVE AWARDS & FUNDING
2019-2020 | Fellows Society Dissertation Fellowship ($32,000), Florida State University’s Graduate School
2019 | 1st Place in Poster Presentation Competition – Arts and Humanities Category ($150), Conference of Florida Graduate Schools
2019 | Graduate Student Research and Creativity Award ($1,000), Florida State University Graduate School
2018 – 2019 | Graduate Student Cross-training Fellowship ($32,000)
2018 | Dissertation Research Grant ($1000), Florida State University Graduate School
2013 | Travel Award ($300), Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder
2009 | Outstanding Graduate of Philosophy Award, Palm Beach Atlantic University
OTHER FUNDING
2019 | Travel Grants, Philosophy Department, Florida State University ($300)
2019 | Graduate Student Travel Stipend, American Philosophical Association ($300)
2018 | Presentation Grant, Congress of Graduate Students, Florida State University ($200)
2017 | Travel Grants, Philosophy Department, Florida State University ($600)
2017| Conference Grant, Congress of Graduate Students, Florida State University ($200)
2016| Presentation Grant, Congress of Graduate Students, Florida State University ($500)
2016 | Travel Grant, Philosophy Department, Florida State University ($300)
2015 | Travel Stipend, Abraham Kuyper Center for Science and Religion, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (€200)
2015 | Travel Bursary, Institut De Recherches Cliniques De Montreal ($350)
2015 | Presentation Grants, Congress of Graduate Students, Florida State University ($600)
2015 | Travel Grants, Philosophy Department, Florida State University ($600)
2015 | Travel Grants, Werkmeister Fund, Philosophy, Florida State University ($650)
2015 | Travel Grant, Werkmeister Fund, History & Philosophy of Science, Florida State University ($200)
2014 | Travel Grant, Department of Philosophy, Florida State University ($160)
2014 | Travel Grant, Department of Philosophy, University of Colorado Boulder ($1000)
2013 | Travel Grant, Department of Philosophy, University of Colorado Boulder ($250)
FUNDING APPLICATIONS UNDER REVIEW
2019 | “Reflective Equilibrium, Cross-cultural Style”. Funding for large, pre-registered study of relationships between class, culture, personality, reflection, and philosophical beliefs.
2019 | with Edgar Filip Rozycki. “Ritual: Lost in thought or loss of thought?” Three years investigating correlational and causal relationships between culture, reflection, and ritual.
INVITED TALKS
2019 | “Whether & How Debiasing Works: Implications for the Classroom”. The Diversity and Inclusion in Research and Teaching Organization’s (DIRECTO’s) Symposium. Florida State University. March 28th.
2018 | “Partisan Reasoning: What Is It And What Can We Do About It?”. The Fellows Forum on “Fact or Fallacy: The Creation, Distribution, and Interpretation of Knowledge.” Florida State University. March 6th.
REFEREED PRESENTATIONS
“Great Minds Do Not Think Alike: Intuitive & Reflective Responses in Philosophy” [RG] [Academia.edu]
2019 | Conference of Florida Graduate Schools. Miami.
2018 | International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion Conference. Boston.
2015 | Workshop: Explaining Religion. Cognitive Science of Religion and Naturalism. Amsterdam.
2015 | Buffalo Experimental Philosophy Conference. Buffalo.
2013 | 4th Annual Workshop on Experimental Philosophy. Bristol.
“Implicit Bias: Advancing The Debate”
2019 | Eastern APA. New York City.
2017 | 63rd Annual Meeting of the Florida Philosophical Society. Ocala.
2017 | 109th Meeting of the Southern Society for Philosophy & Psychology. Savannah.
2015 | 107th Meeting of the Southern Society for Philosophy & Psychology. New Orleans.
2015 | Midsouth Philosophy Conference. Memphis.
“Not All Who Ponder Count Costs: Reflection & Sacrificial Dilemma Judgments Revisited”
2019 | Society for Philosophy & Psychology. San Diego.
2018 | Australasian Society for Philosophy & Psychology. Sydney.
“Multi-stage, Bounded Reflection”
2018 | Southeastern Epistemology Conference. Miami
“A Causal Network Account Of Ill-Being” [RG] [Academia.edu]
2018 | Society for Philosophy and Psychology. Ann Arbor. (Unable to attend)
2016 | Society for the Metaphysics of Science Conference. Geneva.
“A Causal Network Account of Willpower” [RG] [Academia.edu]
2015 | Montreal Neuroethics Conference for Young Researchers. Montreal.
2015 | Mississippi Academy of Science, Division of History and Philosophy of Science Conference. Hattiesburg.
“What Can the Selfish Goal Model Do for The Belief-Desire-Intention Model?” [RG] [Academia.edu]
2013 | Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Conference. Bristol.
“Philosophers’ Brains: What Can Neuroscience Tell Us About Philosophical Judgment?” [RG] [Academia.edu]
2012 | InterMountain Philosophy Conference. University of Utah. Salt Lake City.
2012 | Towards a Science of Consciousness Conference. Tuscon.
CAMPUS TALKS
2019 | “Intuitive & Reflective Responses In Philosophy”. Research Design & Analysis, II. Department of Psychology. Florida State University.
2017 | “The Why & How of Personal Websites & Academic Social Media Profiles“. Philosophy Department. Florida State University.
2016 | “Reflection & Moral Reasoning”. Moral and Social Processing Lab. Florida State University.
2016 | “Reflection, Philosophical Training, & Theism”. Moral and Social Processing Lab. Florida State University.
2014 | “Human Experimentation Is The New Conceptual Analysis: A Dummy’s Guide To The IRB Process at CU Boulder”. Graduate Teacher Workshop. University of Colorado, Boulder.
COMMENTARIES
2017 | “Can Domain-familiarity Account for Puzzling Responses on the Cognitive Reflection Test?” Comment on Shea and Frith’s ‘Type 0 Cognition…’“. Brains Blog Roundtable
2017 | “Associative and non-associative changes in implicit bias” Comments on “Lai et al’s ‘Meta-Analysis of Change In Implicit Bias“. Brains Blog Roundtable
2015 | “Synchronic vs. Diachronic Belief Formation: Comments on Moon and Boyce’s ‘Proper Functionalism…’” Midsouth Philosophy Conference. Rhodes College, Memphis
2013 | “Are theists intuitions faulty?” Comments on Church and Barrett’s “Can CSR Give Atheists Epistemic Assurance?” SCP’s Mountain-Pacific Region Conference: Faith and Reason. University of Colorado, Boulder
INVITED WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION
2018 | Social Science: Epistemological Foundations and Methodological Debates, Florida State University
2018 | TAPMI-Max Planck-Soton Winter School on Bounded Rationality, T. A. Pai Management Institute. (Unable to attend due to Winter Storm Grayson)
2017 | Philosophy & Physical Computing, Virginia Tech
2015 | Explaining Religion: Cognitive Science of Religion and Naturalism, Vrije Universiteit
MEDIA COVERAGE
2019 “Making sense of morality: FSU researchers advance the study of ethical decision-making“. Florida State University News.
2019 “Making sense of morality: FSU researchers advance the study of ethical decision-making“. Florida State Headlines. WFSU Media (NPR, PBS, and more)
INVITED BLOG POSTS
2019 | Eliminating Footnotes Makes Philosophy More Accessible (January 17). Blog of the APA.
2017 | APA Member Interview: Nick Byrd (March 17). Blog of the APA.
2016 | “So You’re A Philosopher, Eh? What Do Philosophers Do?” (February 24). Blog of the APA.
2016 | “ACI Interview with Scholarly Blogger & PhD Candidate Nick Byrd“. (April 27). ACI Scholarly Blog Index. Interviewer: Traci Hector.
2015 | “The Future of Online Conferences in Philosophy” (with Cameron Buckner and John Schwenkler), DailyNous
2015 | “Researchers Wrestle with Co-Authorship.” Nature 528(7580): 11–11. By Dalmeet Singh Chawla.
INVITED PODCAST DISCUSSIONS
2019 | The Natalism Debate (March 30). Veracity Hill Podcast
2017 | It’s just a social construct, guys (July 29). I Can’t Believe it’s Not News Podcast
2017 | More Thoughtful – Atheists or Theists? (June 24, 2017). Veracity Hill with Kurt Jaros et al.
2016 | Is Voting for a Third Party a Wasted Vote? (Oct 1, 2016). Veracity Hill with Kurt Jaros et al.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
SU 2018, 2019 | Instructor: Introduction to Philosophy
FA 16, 17, SP 18 | Assistant: Reasoning & Critical Thinking
SU 2017 | Co-instructor: Python Coding Workshop – Grades 3-8
SP 2017 | Assistant: Free Will & Science
SP 2015, 2016 | Assistant: Environmental Ethics
FA 2015 | Assistant: Social Justice & Diversity
FA 2014 | Assistant: Introduction to Philosophy
SP 2014, May 2014 | Assistant: Philosophy & The Sciences
SP 2014 | Assistant: History of Science: Newton to Einstein
FA 2013 | Recitation Instructor: Philosophy & The Sciences (2/week)
2012- 2013 | Apple Store Specialist: Introduction to iCloud, Getting Started with iPad, iWork Tips and Tricks
GUEST LECTURES
2017 | “Causal Claims & Arguments From Samples”, Reasoning & Critical Thinking, Florida State University
2017 | “Diagnostic Reasoning Under Uncertainty”, Reasoning & Critical Thinking, Florida State University
2017 | “The Illusion of Will”, Free Will & Science, Florida State University
2016 | “Philosophical Thinking: Fast & Slow”, Reasoning and Critical Thinking, Florida State University
2016 | “On Intrinsic and Instrumental Value”, Environmental Ethics, Florida State University
2015, 2016 | “On The Institution of Property”, Environmental Ethics, Florida State University
2014 | “On Abortion”, Introduction to Philosophy, Florida State University
2013 | “Against Metaphysics”, Philosophy & The Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
2013 | “The Hypothetico-Deductive Method”, Philosophy & The Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
COURSES PREPARED TO TEACH
Introductory
Critical Thinking
Ethics
Introduction to Philosophy
Symbolic Logic
Intermediate
Cognitive Science
Environmental Ethics
History of Science: Newton to Present
Philosophy of Science
Philosophy of Mind
Advanced or Graduate level
Experimental Philosophy
Moral Psychology
Dual Process Theory
With Advance Notice
Applied Ethics
Causation
Epistemology
Introduction to Humanities
Metaphysics
Modern Philosophy
Philosophy of Psychology
Philosophy of Religion
Political Philosophy
ADVISING
2019 – Present | Jermaine Tucker, Academic Research
2019 | Ashley Potts, Grant Application
2017 – 2018 | Sarah McHenry, Graduate Program Application
2015 – 2016 | Sierra Cortes, Graduate Program Application, Publication
GRADUATE COURSEWORK
University of Colorado
Ethics Proseminar. David Boonin, Adam Hosein, Alison Jaggar, Alistair Norcross. Grade: A-.
Metaphysics. Michael Tooley. Grade: A.
History & Philosophy of Physics. Allan Franklin (Physics). Grade: B+
Topics in Cognitive Science. University of Colorado’s Institute of Cognitive Science. Grade: A.
Philosophy of Mind. Rob Rupert. Grade: A-.
Methods in Cognitive Science. Michael Mozer (Computer Science) & Tor Wager (Neuroscience). Grade: A.
Topics in Cognitive Science. University of Colorado’s Institute of Cognitive Science. Grade: A.
Computational Corpus Linguistics. Kevin Cohen (Linguistics). Grade: A-.
General Statistics. Chick Judd & Joshua Correll (Psychology) Grade: B.
Aristotle + 17th Century Philosophy. Dan Kaufman & Mitzi Lee. Grade: A-.
Proseminar: Thinking. Matt Jones (Psychology). Grade: B+.
Florida State University
Self-knowledge. John Schwenkler. Grade: A
Self-control. Marcela Herdova & Stephen Kearns. Grade: A
Well-being. Mike Bishop. Grade: A
Self-knowledge. John Schwenkler. Grade: A
Modern Philosophy. John Roberts. Grade: A
Modern Logic. Piers Rawling. Grade: B-
Directed Individual Study: Naturalized Epistemology. Mike Bishop. Grade: Satisfactory
Kant & The History of Thought. Michael Ruse. Grade: A
Philosophy of Science. Jacj Justus. Grade: A
Directed Individual Study: Aspects of Agency. Al Mele. Grade: Satisfactory
Issues in Cogntive Science. Wally Boot (Psychology). Grade: Satisfactory
Ethics Core Course. Mark Lebar. Grade: B+
Supervised Teaching. Tracie Mahaffey.Grade: Satisfactory
Causation. Marie Flemming. Grade: Satsifactory
Dispositions. Randy Clarke. Grade: Satisfactory
Directed Individual Study: Philosophy of Reflective Reasoning. Mike Bishop Grade: Satisfactory
Directed Individual Study: Science of Reflective Reasoning. John Schwenker. Grade: Satisfactory
Directed Individual Study: Intuitive vs. Reflective Reasoning. John Schwenker. Grade: Satisfactory
Directed Individual Study: Social Psychology of Morality. Paul Conway. Grade: Satisfactory
Directed Individual Study: Philosophy of Psychology. John Schwenker. Grade: Satisfactory
Cognition & Perception. Jonathan Folstein (Psychology). Grade: A
Research Design & Analaysis I. Grade: A
Research Design & Analaysis II. Grade: A-
Individual Research Study: Science of Moral Dilemmas. Paul Conway. Grade: A
Individual Research Study: Dual Process Theory in Moral Psychology. Paul Conway. Grade: A
OTHER UNIVERSITY WORK
Florida State University
2016 – Present | Website Manager. Philosophy Department
2014 – 2018 | Teaching Assistant. Philosophy Department
2016 | Prospective Student Coordinator. Philosophy Department
2015 (Summer) | Assistant. The Philosophy & Science of Self-control
University of Colorado, Boulder
2013 – 2014 | Teaching Assistant. Philosophy Department
2013 – 2014 | Assistant. The Committee For The History & Philosophy Of Science (CHPS)
2013 | Research Assistant to Carol Cleland, Michael Tooley
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
2009 – 2011 | Resident Director. Student Development
Palm Beach Atlantic University
2008 – 2009 | Assistant Resident Director, Student Life
2006 – 2008 | Resident Assistant, Student Life
2007 – 2008 | Chapel Assistant, Student Success
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
2018 – present | Social Media Partner at Neural Mechanisms Online
2016 – present | Contributing Editor at The Brains Blog
2015 – present | Webmaster: Free Will, Moral Responsibility, and Agency Conference
2015 – 2017 | Co-organizer of the Minds Online Conference
2013 | Co-organizer: 29th Annual Boulder Conference on the History and Philosophy of Science, Boulder
REFEREEING
2019 | Philosophia; PLOS One; Synthese
2018 | An Introduction to Implicit Bias: Knowledge, Justice, and the Social Mind (Routledge)
2017 | Review of Philosophy and Psychology; Minds Online Conference
2016 | Synthese; Minds Online Conference
2015 | Philosophical Psychology; PLOS One; Minds Online Conference; Global Development Curriculum (Palm Beach Atlantic University)
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Data Analysis | R, SPSS, XKWIC
Research | Amazon Mechanical Turk, Sona, Qualtrics
Coding | Python, Unix, HTML, CSS, PHP
Web CMS | Drupal, WordPress
NON-ACADEMIC WORK
2013 | Genius Bar Specialist. Apple
2012 | Back of House Specialist. Apple
2011 | Sales Specialist. Apple
2002 – 2008 | Carpenter, Landscaper, Machine operator, etc. Cape Signature Homes
AFFILIATIONS
2019 – present | Network for Research on Morality, Member
2015 – present | Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, Associate Member
2012 – present | American Philosophical Association, Graduate Student Member
2014 – 2015 | Minorities and Philosophy, Member
2014 – 2015 | Mississippi Academy of Sciences
2012 – 2014 | Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Member
VOLUNTEER WORK
2015 | Judge: National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference, Florida State University
2011 |Construction Volunteer, Front Step, Inc., Philadelphia
2010 |Repair Volunteer, One Heart Many Hands, Orange Blossom Trail
2009 |Trail Maintenance Trip Leader, Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, Dahlonega
2008 |Trail Maintenance Volunteer, Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, Dahlonega
2008, 2009 |Construction Volunteer, Habitat For Humanity, West Palm Beach
2007 |Volunteer, South Florida Science Museum, West Palm Beach
2007 |Volunteer, Quantaum House, West Palm Beach
2004, 2005 |Home-building Volunteer, Baja Ministries, Tecate
REFERENCES
John Schwenkler | Philosophy – Florida State University
Michael Bishop | Philosophy – Florida State University
James “Jack” Justus | Philosophy – Florida State University
Paul Conway | Psychology – Florida State University
K. Anders Ericsson | Psychology – Florida State University
Carol Cleland | Philosophy, Committee for the History and Philosophy of Science, Astrobiology – University of Colorado Boulder
Michael Tooley | Philosophy – University Colorado Boulder
Robert Rupert | Philosophy, Institute of Cognitive Science – University of Colorado Boulder; Philosophy – University of Edinburgh
Michael Mozer | Computer Science, Institute of Cognitive Science – University of Colorado Boulder
Craig Hanson | Philosophy, Humanities, Pharmacy, Strategic Global Development – Palm Beach Atlantic University
PRAISE
“I like that my instructor genuinely cares about us and our understanding. I find the worksheets and the slide recaps to be extremely helpful.” (Anonymous, mid-semester course feedback, Florida State University)
“Fantastic professor, genuinely helped us learn effectively rather than feed us the material. Give this man a raise, he is in the top 3 best professors I have had in the last 5 years here.” (Anonymous Student Evaluation, Florida State University)
“…in Nick Byrd’s workshop about debiasing, I was mentally saying to myself, ‘This is exactly what I was looking for in our teaching discussion group diversity presentation and didn’t get! Something concrete and positive (i.e. ‘here’s something you can do’ rather than ‘avoid doing this.’)’” (Faculty, Department of Biology, Florida State University)
“When I think of the people who have positively influenced my time here at FSU, [Nick is] at the top of the list. [Nick] has taught me so much and I am so thankful for all [his] feedback on my work and [his] guidance in general.” (Senior, Florida State University)
“Nick’s lecture was excellent. […] He began with a light-hearted but stimulating anecdote […]. He then invited students to critique an intuitive moral principle, by which he immediately elicited student participation and dialogue […]. Nick fielded questions and comments with competency and charity, capably guiding the conversation toward the lesson while affirming students’ insights along the way. The PowerPoint presentation was first-rate, serving as a useful road map for students but never overloading them with too much information. Nick’s tone was relaxed but engaging, and he was able to maintain students’ attention throughout. Nick’s lecture demonstrated both competency with the subject matter and careful preparation.” (Dan Miller, Florida State University)
“Nick consistently demonstrated enthusiasm for the class and course material, as well as concern for the students…. his grades were consistently submitted in advance of their deadlines. His response time to email inquiries was immediate. Nick was always prepared. I could always count on him. In short, he was the dream teaching assistant.” (Carmen Marcous, Florida State University)
“[Nick] did an excellent job.” (Alfred Mele, Florida State University, Philosophy & Science of Self-control)
“Consummate professionalism…supportive attitude towards students; detailed feedback for students…” (Jack Justus, Florida State University)
“[Nick is] impossibly responsible.” (John Schwenkler, Florida State University)
“…I was especially impressed with the way [Nick] conducted himself with the students. I was able to witness a number of [Nick’s] interactions with students and his conduct was not only professional but he also communicated to the students a real eagerness to help them….I also know that he can handle himself well when confronted with a hostile student.” (John Roberts, Florida State University)
“[Nick is] the best TA ever! I became a philosophy major after taking [a class in which Nick was the TA]….” (Sophomore, Florida State University)
“[Nick] is the best administrative assistant that I have worked with in the past ten years of chairing [The Committee For The History & Philosophy Of Science].” (Carol Cleland, University of Colorado Boulder)
“Nick is incredible. Definitely fully committed to helping students learn. Thank you.” (Anonymous Student Evaluation, University of Colorado Boulder)
“Nick did a really nice job of explaining the readings and coming up with questions for discussion. He was always well-prepared and led the discussions effectively. I always felt more prepared going into the lectures, writing papers, and taking quizzes after going to [Nick’s recitation].” (Anonymous Student Evaluation, University of Colorado Boulder)
“I cannot emphasize enough about how professional and responsible Nick has been…in my nine years on this campus I have not had a staff member excel in both of these areas as well as Nick.” (Ryan Schmitz, Mount Vernon Nazarene University)
“I characterize [Nick] as both intellectually fearless and intellectually tenacious. [Nick] is also one of the finest philosophical writers that I have ever had the pleasure to work with.” (Craig Hanson, Palm Beach Atlantic University)