Faculty
Christopher H. Eliot
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Degrees
PHD, 2004, University of Minnesota; BA, 1996, Kenyon Coll
Bio
Christopher Eliot is an Associate Professor of Philosophy and the adviser for Hofstra's interdisciplinary Minor in Scientific Reasoning and Data Analysis. He joined the Hofstra faculty in 2004. He has recently taught in the Philosophy and Biology Departments and in Hofstra's Honors College. He was Hofstra's 2017 Mentor of the Year.
Dr. Eliot's research focuses on philosophical questions about ecology, the branch of biology concerned with the relationships among organisms and between organisms and their environments. This research is part of the discipline of Philosophy of Science, which investigates the nature of science—how science is justified, how it explains, what distinguishes it from non-science, and how scientific theories and ideas relate to our broader values and projects.
In particular, Dr. Eliot has published about the concept of communities in ecology and on how it's possible to explain the dynamics of ecological communities despite their complexity and variability.
Born in Washington, DC, Dr. Eliot enjoys learning New York's ecology and its birds.
Teaching Interests
Philosophy of Science, Logic, Philosophy of Biology, Environmental Philosophy, Ethics, Philosophy of ArtResearch Interests
Philosophy of Science (especially Biology, Ecology), Environmental PhilosophyRecent Courses Taught
| Course | Title | Level |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 108 | ORNITHOLOGY | Undergraduate |
| BIO 217 | BIOLOGY OF BIRDS | Graduate |
| PHI 010 | (HP) INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY | Undergraduate |
| PHI 051D | PHIL EXPL: DANGEROUS IDEAS | Undergraduate |
| PHI 152 | SCIENTIFIC REASONING | Undergraduate |
| PHI 161 | (HP) PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE | Undergraduate |
| PHI 182A | SOCRATES, EPICUREANS, STOICS | Undergraduate |
