About Me
Welcome to my academic website. I am a Ph.D. student at UCSD working primarily in Philosophy of Science and Epistemology. Most of my projects can be captured by the catchphrase "formal tools for social phenomena." My research is largely split into two streams, one of which focuses on epistemic communities and their interactions with machine learning (ML) systems, while the other is a more traditional approach to the philosophy of science with a focus on the role of algorithmic tools in scientific theorizing. I primarily use methods from probability theory and agent-based modeling to explore group social dynamics and reasoning under risk. Much of my work is aimed at advocating for modeling and simulation as philosophical methods. Prior to philosophy, I did research in computational geography, using deep neural networks (DNNs) to explore environmental and social impacts on communities.
Research Interests
- Philosophy of Science
- Formal and Social Epistemology
- Agent-Based Modeling and Network Science
- Probability and Randomness
Selected Publications
Runfola, Dan, Anthony Stefanidis, Zhonghui Lv, Joseph O'Brien, and Heather Baier (2024)
International Journal of Geographical Information Science
Journal SiteWorks in Progress
O'Brien, J. and Danks, D.
Draft in ProgressThis work argues for a pluralistic account of the signal-noise distinction.
O'Brien, J., Fazelpour, S., and Rubin, H.
Draft in ProgressWe explore the effects of AI usage on scientific communities through the NK Landscape model.
Teaching
- PHIL 14: Intro to the Nature of Reality - Fall 24 (TA)
- PHIL 120: Symbolic Logic - Fall 24 (TA)
Curriculum Vitae
Download my complete CV for detailed information about my academic background, research experience, publications, and achievements.
Download CV (PDF)Contact Information
Email: j3obrien[at]ucsd[dot]edu
Office: Ridge Walk Academic Complex, Office 0436