My name is Kevin Lower, and I am a PhD candidate in Philosophy at Villanova University. Lately, I spend most of my time thinking about mind, metaphysics, and the history of science in the early modern period. In particular, I focus on the philosophy of Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle (1623-1673). You can find information about my ongoing projects on this website.

My dissertation is titled “Margaret Cavendish’s Metaphysics of Action and Passion”. It argues that Margaret Cavendish develops conceptually-intertwined accounts of action, passion, and sympathy. I am especially interested in how these concepts elucidate the metaphysical underpinnings of her theories of freedom, causation, and materiality.

I also organize a reading and research group on Cavendish’s philosophical writings. Feel free to join us by visiting our website!

News

• June 2023: Kevin co-organized a virtual workshop on the philosophy of Margaret Cavendish.

• May 2023: Kevin received a research grant for a project titled “Margaret Cavendish’s Materialist Conception of Sympathy”.

• April 2023: Kevin presented a paper titled “Margaret Cavendish’s Relational Metaphysics of Action” at Reappearing Ink.

• March 2023: Kevin co-presented a paper with Brooke Sharp titled “The Passionate Mind of Thinking Matter” at RSA 2023: San Juan.