McMullin, Jessica

Photograph of Jessica McMullin outside in Fall.

Jessica McMullin

Ph.D. Candidate

Philosophy

Research Interests

Environmental Philosophy, Moral and Political Philosophy, Phenomenology

Biography
  • B.A. Hons. (Specialist in Philosophy), University of Toronto
  • M.A. (Philosophy: Political and Legal Thought), śÈӰֱȄ

Jessica's PhD research seeks to understand how human language might facilitate or inhibit our moral receptivity to non-human others and the environment, bringing together Wittgenstein's later thought with Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology. Her past graduate work interrogated the metaphysics and politics of moral agency in corporate bodies. She continues to write on political philosophy as it concerns environmental ethics.

Bergeron, Abigail

Abigail Bergeron

Abigail Bergeron

Ph.D. Candidate

Philosophy

abigail.bergeron@queensu.ca

Research Interests:

  • Philosophy of Society and Culture, Philosophy of Technology, Continental Philosophy, Agrarian Philosophy, Philosophy of Law

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy), Trent University
  • Bachelor of Laws (Law), Swansea University
  • Master of Arts (Philosophy: Political and Legal Thought), Queen’s University
  • Master of Laws (Law), Queen’s University

Abigail’s dissertation focuses on the life and legacy of the American philosopher of technology Albert Borgmann (1937-2023). She is Canada Doctoral Scholar (CGRS-D) and her project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).   

Abigail’s primarily works in the philosophy of technology, following her first Master’s thesis (MA) which considered the question of driverless cars in relation to concerns about freedom and privacy. While she is interested in techno-skepticism generally, including the works of Martin Heidegger and Jacques Ellul, she finds Borgmann's framework most helpful for understanding the metaphysical and ethical implications of a life patterned by technology. For this reason, her wider work seeks to call into question the meliorist assumption that our lives are improving with technological progress.

Abigail’s other research interests include the philosophy of law, particularly constitutional rights jurisprudence and freedom of speech. Her second Master’s thesis (LLM) focused on the role of speech in online environments and how this tracks the moral and legal regulation of online environments. 

Abigail has been published in The Ellul Forum (2026), The Journal of Camus Studies (2023), How Does the Digitization of Our World Change Our Orientation? (Orientations Press: 2023), and The Christian Scholar’s Review (2025), and she has forthcoming articles in the Lakehead Law Journal and in the edited anthology Food, Technology and Society (Routledge: 2027). In addition, she has an active interest in improving student experience at Queen’s through her work as a Graduate Student Advisor with the Society of Graduate & Professional Students (SGPS), and her participation on several SGPS Committees, including the Principal’s Advisor Committee, the Finance Committee, the Awards Committee and the Graduate Student Research & Academic Subcommittee. In Winter 2026, she also worked as a Curriculum Design Intern in the Faculty of Arts and Science through the Queen’s Doctoral Internship in University Administration (QDIUA) program. 

In her spare time Abigail enjoys cooking, running, growing pumpkins and caring for her six cats.

Winslow, James

James Winslow

James Winslow

Ph.D. Student

Philosophy

pnm4@queensu.ca

Biography

B.A. Honours (Philosophy), Wilfrid Laurier University

M.A. (Philosophy: Political and Legal Thought), Queen’s University

 

Research Interests

Normative Ethics, Metaethics

My primary interest is in the role that aggregative considerations should (or should not) play in our moral reasoning. I'm also interested in a range of questions about the ethics of ordinary relational life, especially how sharing close relationships with others can ground special expectations and obligations.

Workshop: "Desert, Merit, and Responsibility"

Date

Monday October 16, 2023
9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Location

Queen's University

Queen’s University's departments of Political Studies and Philosophy are delighted to invite you to participate in a hybrid, pre-read workshop ‘Desert, Merit, and Responsibility’, on October 16, 2023.

Schedule

09:00 - 09:45 Huub Brouwer and Dick Timmer - "If You are a Desertist, Why don’t you Defend Limits?"

09:45 - 10:30 Anca Gheaus - "Fair Equality of Opportunity in Unjust Circumstances"

10:30 - 11:15 Andrew Lister - "Egalitarianism Without the Moral Arbitrariness Thesis"

11:15 - 11:30 Break

11:30 - 12:15 Tammy Harel Ben Shahar and Nethanel Lipshitz - “Justice for Grasshoppers: Reassessing Effort"

12:15 - 13:00 Richard Arneson - "Some Puzzles about Desert"

Each speaker will have a 45-minute time slot including a 5-minute introduction by the speaker and a 10-minute response by a commentator, followed by 30 minutes of general discussion. Participants are expected to have read the papers before participating in the workshop. 

To sign-up and receive the draft papers that will be presented at the workshop, . It is possible to participate either in-person or online. The registration deadline for in-person attendance is October 6. There are only a limited number of seats available for in-person participation. The registration deadline for virtual attendance is October 12.

Workshop on Trans Philosophy: What is it? What do we want it to be?

Date

Monday September 18, 2023
9:30 am - 6:00 pm

Location

Queen's University

On behalf of both the Canadian Society for Women in Philosophy (CSWIP) and the Trans Philosophy Colloquium Series, you are invited to a one-day workshop at Queen’s University on Monday, September 18th. The topic of the workshop is Trans Philosophy: What is it? What do we want it to be? (Poster attached). 

This event brings together discussions of trans/feminism, trans experiences, and philosophical methodology. The workshop will consist of a roundtable discussion on the possible future(s) of trans philosophy as well as keynote talks from both Perry Zurn (Cornell) and Stephanie Kapusta (Dalhousie). The day will start with coffee and socializing and conclude with a reception and dinner. Lunch will be provided. 

In light of both the tragic anti-feminist attack at the University of Waterloo over the summer and an increase in the introduction of anti-trans laws and policies across the globe, it is important to remain vigilant in our support of trans/feminist projects and the well being of those involved. 

You can register to attend either online or in-person at Queen’s University by clicking the following link: 

 

Details of the room and reception locations will be released to registered individuals closer to the date of the event. Questions can be directed to Sofie Vlaad at 16sv8@queensu.ca. 

Workshop on Trans Philosophy: What is it? What do we want it to be? | Poster

Political Philosophy Reading Group: Udo Schuklenk (Queen’s)

Date

Tuesday September 19, 2023
11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Location

Philosophy Department A.R.C. Duncan Lounge, Watson 341

Faculty and graduate students are welcome to join the upcoming meeting of the Political Philosophy Reading Group, to discuss a paper by Udo Schuklenk (Queen’s), titled "Public Health, Public Health Ethics Principlism and Good Governance During the COVID-19 Pandemic".

Further details, as well as Udo's paper, will be circulated via email. For more information, contact Christine Sypnowich (christine.sypnowich@queensu.ca).

Departmental Colloquium & The Alistair Macleod Distinguished Lecture: Gerald J. Postema (UNC Chapel Hill)

Date

Thursday April 4, 2024
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location

Queen's University

The Department of Philosophy is pleased to invite you to join, in person, the upcoming meeting of its regular colloquium series, which will welcome Gerald J. Postema (UNC Chapel Hill), who will deliver the 2024 Alistair Macleod Distinguished Lecture.

Departmental Colloquium & The Lorne Maclachlan Lecture on Kant: Janum Sethi (Michigan)

Date

Thursday March 28, 2024
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location

Queen's University

The Department of Philosophy is pleased to invite you to join, in person, the upcoming meeting of its regular colloquium series, which will welcome Janum Sethi (Michigan), who will deliver the 2024  Lorne Maclachlan Lecture on Kant, titled, "A Scandal of Philosophy’: Kant's Refutation of External World Skepticism".

Departmental Colloquium: Daniel Muñoz (UNC Chapel Hill)

Date

Thursday March 14, 2024
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location

Queen's University

The Department of Philosophy is pleased to invite you to join, in person, the upcoming meeting of its regular colloquium series, which will welcome Daniel Muñoz (UNC Chapel Hill), to give a paper titled, â€œA Theory of Supererogation”.

Departmental Colloquium & Philosophy of Race Conference Keynote: Chike Jeffers (Dalhousie)

Date

Saturday February 10, 2024
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Location

Queen's University

The Department of Philosophy is pleased to invite you to join, in person, the upcoming meeting of its regular colloquium series, which will welcome Chike Jeffers (Dalhousie) to give a Keynote in Philosophy of Race Conference, â€œPhilosophy of Race and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms”.

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