Antony Aumann
Professor of Philosophy
Contact Information:
239 Gries Hall
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m., and by appt.
(906) 227-1682
aaumann@nmu.edu
Education:
Ph.D., Indiana University
M.A., Indiana University
B.A., Calvin College
Biography:
Professor Aumann joined the faculty at Northern in 2010. In addition, he has held positions at the Ohio State University, St. Olaf College, and Fordham University. He regularly teaches courses on aesthetics, religion, and existentialism, and he coordinates the Religious Studies Minor. His research focuses on existentialism and philosophy of art, but he also has interests in the effects of AI on education. His views on ChatGPT made front-page news in the New York Times in January 2023, and he has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows to discuss the topic. Professor Aumann received NMU's 2017-18 Excellence in Teaching Award, and he co-edits the book series New Kierkegaard Research.
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ChatGPT and Higher Ed
Antony Aumann's story about catching a student using ChatGPT to complete a class assignment made front-page news in the New York Times in January 2023. Aumann's experiences shed light on the challenges posed by the growing use of AI in education and the need for educators to adapt their teaching methods accordingly. Since then, Aumann has appeared on NBC News, Dr. Phil, CNN, Fox Business, NHK TV Japan, and most recently CGTN: China Global Television Network, to discuss this issue.
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Summary
Art and Selfhood: A Kierkegaardian Account lies at the intersection of existentialism and the philosophy of art, focusing on issues and problems having to do with our personal identity. It brings together these two topics to show that works of art matter partly because they can help us with the project of selfhood. In other words, works of art can offer us much-needed guidance and support as we try to figure out who we really are.
Reviews
“Antony Aumann’s Art and Selfhood strikes a remarkable balance between philosophical ambition and communicative clarity.... Unafraid both to walk with Kierkegaard and to challenge him, Art and Selfhood cements Aumann’s place as a leading voice of Kierkegaardian thought.”
—PATRICK STOKES, Deakin University
“This excellent book not only advances our understanding of art and selfhood as viewed from an existential standpoint: it also offers an appreciative and insightful reading of both the ‘how’ and the ‘what’ of Kierkegaard’s literary artistry.”
—RICK ANTHONY FURTAK, Colorado College
Select Publications
Forthcoming. "Four Reasons for Rebellion: On the Existentialist Revolt against the Crowd.” In The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Existentialism, edited by Kevin Ago, Megan Altman, and Hans Pedersen. New York, NY: Routledge. (PDF)
Forthcoming. "In Defense of Art Museum Audio Guides." Journal of Aesthetic Education. (PDF)
2023. “Art, Imagination, and Experiential Knowledge.” Synthese 201 (100): 1-20. Special Issue on Transformative Experience. doi: 10.1007/s11229-023-04109-2. (PDF)
2022. "Art and Transformation." Journal of the American Philosophical Association. doi: 10/1017/apa.2021.40
2021.“Form and Content in Emily Dickinson’s Poetry.” In Emily Dickinson and Philosophy, edited by Elisabeth Camp, 108-144. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. (PDF)
2020."Kierkegaard on the Transformative Power of Art." History of European Ideas. Special Issue on Imagination in Kierkegaard and Beyond. doi: 10.1080/01916599.2020.1799554 (PDF)
2019. Art and Selfhood: A Kierkegaardian Account. Landham, MD: Lexington Books. (Purchase)
2019."Kierkegaard on the Value of Art." In The Kierkegaardian Mind, edited by Adam Buben, Eleanor Helms, and Patrick Stokes. New York, NY: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429198571-15 (PDF)