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Alexander Tolbert

2019-     Ph.D. Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania
                Advisors: Michael Kearns, Quayshawn Spencer, Anita Allen
 
2019-2022   M.A. in Statistics
                             Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
2019                      M.A. in Philosophy, Virginia Tech
2019                      M.S. in Biochemistry, Virginia Tech
2013                      B.S. in Biology, University of Mobile 
 

My fundamental interests are normative questions about equity, just social structure, and discrimination, particularly racial discrimination. I prefer formulating issues and finding proposed solutions in ways that have clear policy implications. My fundamental methodology is to seek to put aspects of those questions into frameworks to which various formal or empirical methods can be applied, to assess the results of such applications, and where possible contribute to improvements. My interest in formal techniques ranges over topics in topics in machine learning, causal inference, algorithmic fairness, computational social science and economics, and algorithmic game theory. I use my training in social and political philosophy to try to inform and criticize the design of algorithms and models in the attempt to embed social values such as fairness and to avoid harms such as discrimination and bias.

Research Interests

Areas of Specialization  
Philosophy of Science (Machine Learning, Statistics, Causal Inference, Game Theory, Social Science), Applied Ethics (Algorithmic Fairness, A.I. & Ethics), Philosophy of Race, Social & Political Philosophy
 Areas  of Competence   
Africana Philosophy, Logic, Philosophy of Law

CV (file):