Larry Jorgensen

I am a Professor of Philosophy at Skidmore College and Chair of the Philosophy Department. My main research is in early modern philosophy, with a primary focus on Leibniz’s philosophy of mind and, more generally, on the development of the uniquely modern conception of consciousness that developed during the seventeenth century. I have recently been developing a secondary line of research into the ethics of forgiveness and reconciliation.At Skidmore College, I teach a variety of courses in the Philosophy Department, including Early Modern Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, and upper-level seminars on Early Modern Philosophy and Metaphysics. I also teach an interdisciplinary first-year seminar on forgiveness and reconciliation.My pedagogy puts the community of philosophers in center stage. I am constantly on the lookout for methods that will not only develop excellent philosophical thinking in individual students but will also develop a friendly but intellectually-challenging community of philosophers here at Skidmore. In particular, I teach the history of philosophy in a way that is designed to prompt humility (which leads us to question of ourselves), teanacity (which leads us to question others), and grace (a generosity that comes from recognizing that the work of philosophy is hard and our vision is limited).