VARUN RAVIKUMAR

I am a doctoral student in the Department of Philosophy at Western University (WU). Prior to joining WU, I received my B.Tech. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Shiv Nadar University (India) in 2015, my M.Eng. degree in Engineering Mechanics from The Pennsylvania State University (USA) in 2016, and my M.A. degree in Philosophy from Northern Illinois University (USA) in 2019.

My transition from engineering, where I worked on the mechanics (and materials) of (a) stretchable electronic devices and (b) traumatic brain injuries, to philosophy was motivated by two reasons. First, I was interested in investigating the relationship between brain, body, and environment (B-B-E) from a philosophical viewpoint, and how the B-B-E system can help inform our understanding of mind and behavior. Second, I was interested in tackling conceptual and methodological issues arising in the mind-brain sciences through an interdisciplinary framework, by combining perspectives from philosophy, science, and engineering.

In the process, I have come to recognize (and define) my interests as straddling the domains of philosophy of psychology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of neuroscience, philosophy of cognitive science, phenomenology, and metaphysics.

Some of my current research interests are in (a) exploring the relation(s) between perception and cognition, especially how an embodied approach (broadly construed) can inform our understanding of mind, self, and behavior, and in (b) examining notions of natural kinds, selfhood, and brain plasticity in concussion research.