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Department of Philosophy

Cynthia Townley

BA Tas., PhD Tas.
Cynthia graduated from the University of Tasmania in 2000. After a semester at the University of Melbourne, and 2 years at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, she joined the Macquarie Philosophy Department in June, 2003.

Teaching

Cynthia currently teaches or has taught the following units:

  • PHIL131 Mind, Meaning and Metaphysics
  • PHIL242 Practical Ethics
  • PHIL256 Knowledge and Reality
  • PHIL264/PHIL364 Business and Professional Ethics
  • PHIL352 Philosophical Problems of Gender
  • PHIL357 Theories of Justice


Selected publications

"Intellectual Property and Indigenous Knowledge" Philosophy and Public Policy Quarterly (Fall, 2002)21-28

"Trust and the Curse of Cassandra" Philosophy in the Contemporary World (Vol 10, Number 2,2003)

2008 'Patriotism: Problems at Home' in I. Primoratz and A. Pavkovic (eds) Patriotism Philosophical and Political Perspectives (Ashgate)

2006 'Towards an Epistemology of Ignorance' Hypatia 21 (3) 27-55

2006 "Cyber Disobedience: Gandhian Cyberpunks" with Mitch Parsell Scan (refereed online journal) December

2005. 'The cost of a common good' (with Mitch Parsell) Philosophy in the Contemporary World, 12(2): 68-75.

2005 "A Defense of Tolerance as a Moral Virtue" (with Ron Sandler) in Avery Plaw, ed., Frontiers of Diversity: Explorations in Contemporary Pluralism (Rodopi).

2004 'Technology and Academic Virtue: Student plagiarism through the looking glass' (with Mitch Parsell) Ethics and Information Technology Volume 6, Number 4, pp. 271-277

Current research

Cynthia's research interests cluster around issues of knowledge, agency and community, especially trust and other forms of epistemic dependence. Her current projects include a book in which the importance of ignorance in epistemology is explored, and collaborative papers on tolerance and on trust and plagiarism detection.

Administrative responsibilities

  • Faculty of Arts Learning and Teaching Committee
  • Philosophy Learning and Teaching Committee
  • Philosophy Assessment Committee
  • Philosophy Preclusions Officer

Contact details

Location: Building W6A Room 723
Phone: (61 2) 9850 8812
Fax: (61 2) 9850 8892
Email: cynthia.townley@mq.edu.au
Office hours: to be advised

 

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(last updated: 4/2/09 )

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