Alfredo Watkins
Duke University

My current research focuses on Plato's views on international relations. I argue Plato has a substantial interest in inter-state matters, and that he provides careful treatments of the connections between domestic institutions, military power, and justice in the international realm. I try to show how Plato's under-studied thinking on this topic actively engages contemporaneous debates within Greek thought (especially as found in Thucydides and Xenophon), addressing questions of empire, power, and international norms. In addition, I try to show the relevance of Plato's thought to current debates surrounding foreign affairs.
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I also work in the philosophy of science. My doctoral studies focused on Aristotelian philosophy of mathematics. In my dissertation I argued for a form of mathematical structuralism that combines belief in Aristotelian universals with an essence-based account of mathematical truth. I believe this combination of views can elegantly account for the epistemology of mathematics while easily explaining the necessity of mathematics and its applicability in natural science. You can read a general overview of my dissertation in the first chapter, here. The dissertation can be found here.

I maintain secondary interests in medieval philosophy and PPE. I have taught courses on these subjects and given PPE talks on epistocracy and late-scholastic political thought. You can find handouts for some of my talks below.