I am a PhD student in philosophy at the University of Illinois Chicago, where I work on ancient Greek philosophy, advised by Justin Vlasits.
My research centers on Aristotle’s idea of sophia, which he treats as the highest form of knowledge, though he never quite pins down what it is and how you acquire it.
I came to philosophy through classics! My undergraduate degrees were in Ancient Greek and classical civilizations, and I spent three years building and leading a classical languages department before returning to graduate study. That background shapes how I read: closely, and with real attention to what the Greek is doing.
I’ve also been working on Aristotle’s account of gender, which sits pretty uneasily with the rest of his philosophy!
Outside of philosophy, I live in Chicago with my partner and our two cats, Tuchē and Timē. I love playing pinball, and I’m a devoted Bravo enthusiast (reality TV is my favorite way to unwind). I also play volleyball and badminton on a recreational league, and you can usually find me having a picnic by the lake on a nice day. And yes, I do the Wordle every day!
Areas
- Specialization
- Ancient Philosophy
- Competence
- Ethics, Epistemology, Logic
- Languages
- Ancient Greek (advanced), Latin (advanced)
Contact
rcait@uic.edu
Department of Philosophy, University of Illinois Chicago