Social ontology is the study of the nature of the social world. The aim of this Element is to provide an overview of this burgeoning field, and also to map the questions that theories in social ontology address. When we encounter a theory of some...
A short talk I gave on Dan Dennett and his work, for a Tufts symposium celebrating his life. In the talk I discuss his methodology, projects, and legacy....
In this paper, I clarify and defend the distinction between “anchoring” and “grounding.” In addition to the widely discussed grounding relation, anchoring is a different kind of metaphysical determination, and both need to be a part of full explanations of how facts are metaphysically determined....
This paper examines Steve Biko’s distinction between black and non-white as a project in the “amelioration” of social concepts and categories. I discuss Biko’s continuity with Frantz Fanon, but also attempt to show how Biko moves beyond Fanon in crucial ways, solving problems that Fanon...
This entry for the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy presents an overview of the field of social ontology. The entry discusses approaches to the building blocks of the social world, social construction, and applications such as social groups, group minds, institutions, race, gender, the law, and...
Social groups are a central topic in social ontology. This paper presents a systematic approach for analyzing and explaining their nature. I argue against prominent views that attempt to unify all social groups or to divide them into simple typologies. Instead I argue that social...
The article summarizes The Ant Trap: Rebuilding the Foundations of the Social Sciences. The book develops a new model for social ontology, applies it to groups and collective intentionality, and criticizes various forms of individualism....
In this chapter, I argue against the idea that there is a single generic method or set of requirements for generating social kinds. Instead, there is a variety of what I call “anchoring schemas.” Not only are social kinds a diverse lot, but the metaphysical...
In these replies to Katherine Hawley, Mari Mikkola, and Frank Hindriks, I address the role of grounding in social metaphysics, the distinction between anchoring and grounding, and the actions and intentions of social groups....
This article replies to comments by Francesco Guala and Mattia Gallotti on The Ant Trap. In the replies, I address the relation of new advances in cognitive science to the study of collective attitudes, clarify distinct questions we might ask about grounding and about anchoring...
