Cameron Pattison

Graduate Student

Cameron Pattison’s background is in Ancient and Islamic philosophy with a focus on philosophy of mind, political philosophy, and ethics. He is particularly interested in how we conceptualize (rightly or wrongly) the distinct features that set humans and philosophers apart from non-human animals and students of other disciplines. As such, Cameron has been working primarily on Islamic theories of mind and cognition, alongside contemporary questions on reasoning, and whether or not AIs count as reasoners. Cameron is also interested in AI’s potential to accelerate research in the history of philosophy and alter long-standing questions in ethics and political philosophy. His work on Generative AI initiatives at the RPW Center and his role in teaching the Center’s yearlong AI and the Humanities faculty seminar highlight his commitment to these areas.

In recognition of his contributions throughout the course of the last year, Cameron has received several awards, including the Berry First-Year Teaching Award, the Berry Publication Prize, the Vanderbilt Award for Doctoral Discovery, and the Russell G. Hamilton Scholarship.

Contact: For inquiries or collaborations, please reach out to Cameron Pattison via email at cameron.pattison@vanderbilt.edu.