Ismail Kurun

Graduate Student

Ismail is a PhD candidate in Philosophy. His primary research interests lie in social and political philosophy and Islamic philosophy. His research is often interdisciplinary, bringing social science to bear on philosophical questions.

Ismail's dissertation project is on the epistemology of liberalism and the liberalization of nonliberal societies. It articulates the controversial epistemological commitments of political liberalism, explores the epistemic character of liberal societies, and develops a theory of philosophical liberalization with regard to nonliberal yet decent societies.

Ismail also has active research interests at the intersection of AI and liberalism, focusing on the impact of AI on central liberal values. Specifically, he's investigating the ways in which AI can be an opportunity for or a risk to political and economic freedom in Western liberal democracies.

Ismail's broader interests span ethics, social epistemology, ancient philosophy, pragmatism, early modern philosophy, philosophy of science, and the history of analytic philosophy. His MA thesis explored the medieval origins of liberalism.

Ismail has received numerous awards and fellowships, including the 2023 Novak Award and the 2023 Berry Graduate Student Publication Excellence Prize. His service includes acting as the communications co-manager (since 2021) of a major professional society (AAIWG) specializing in medieval philosophy with more than 120 members worldwide. At Vanderbilt, he has served as the co-chair of the Minorities and Philosophy (MAP) and as a member of the committees of the Philosophy Graduate Student Association (PGSA) that focus on teaching and programming. He has also been engaged in public philosophy by writing opinion pieces on popular venues and appearing on podcasts on topics such as liberalism, intellectual virtues, and Islam.