Daniel F
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Stanford University
Expertise
Philosophy, Philosophy of AI, Epistemology, Ethics, Social Philosophy
Bio
I'm a 6th year PhD student in Philosophy at Stanford University. During the 2025-2026 Academic year, I will be a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Philosophy of AI at Purdue University. In Fall 2026, I'll take up my post at the University of Iowa as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy. Before Stanford I did an M.A. at Brandeis University and prior to that a B.A./M.A. at Johns Hopkins University. I was born in Budapest and grew up in and around NYC. My main philosophical work is in epistemology, the philosophies of action and science, as well as social philosophy, with newer research and teaching interests in political philosophy, philosophy of law, business and tech ethics. Lately, I've been thinking about the relationship between epistemic norms and cooperation. I think this relationship is especially interesting when we focus on collective inquiry, democratic deliberation, and advances in cooperative AI. I'm also a dedicated teacher across a wide variety of pedagogical settings. As part of my teaching, I co-founded the Stanford Philosophy Directed Reading Program. When not doing philosophy, I enjoy exploring the Bay Area with my wife, meeting dogs, reading Hungarian poetry, and watching Chelsea F.C. as much as I can. As of August 27th, 2024, all of the above is made immeasurably richer with the company of our daughter, Vera.Project ideas
Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.
Norms of Cooperation: Politics and Science
Much of American society holds scientific practice and debate as the gold standard for objective and successful cooperation. By contrast, American political life is considered an abject failure: divisive, polarized, and gridlocked. What explains this discrepancy and is it accurate? Are the motivations of scientists or their subject matter what accounts for their comparative success? Are structural features of scientific practice or its norms responsible for this perceived discrepancy? What can the political sphere learn from scientific practice?
Languages I know
HungarianTeaching experience
I have taught students in both classroom settings and 1-1 at a number of different institutions including Stanford University and Brandeis University. My aim as a teacher is to transmit the excitement and enthusiasm I have for philosophy, to convey the interesting and deep puzzles of the subject while also helping foster the analytical skills necessary to make genuine progress in this field (and many others). I am keenly attentive to the development of skills which, while incredibly useful in philosophical inquiry, are of broader utility: critical thinking, analytic writing, conceptual modeling, and creativity among them.Credentials
Education
Johns Hopkins University
BA Bachelor of Arts (2017)
PhilosophyBrandeis University
MA Master of Arts (2019)
PhilosophyStanford University
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Epistemology, Philosophy of Action, Social Philosophy, Practical Reason