Kit Fine

Kit Fine is a Silver Professor, University Professor, and Professor of Philosophy and Mathematics at New York University. He holds dual appointments in the Department of Philosophy and collaborates with the Mathematics department. His research spans metaphysics, logic, philosophy of language, ancient philosophy, linguistics, computer science, and economic theory. He has been a visiting scholar at All Souls College, Oxford, and teaches at the Manhattan Advanced Program (MAP) in Lugano, Switzerland.

Education: PhD in Philosophy from the University of Warwick (1969), BA in Philosophy from the University of Oxford (1967).

Research interests include foundational questions in metaphysics (e.g., modality, essence, ground), formal logic (e.g., tense logic, abstraction principles), and philosophical semantics. He has explored the interface between philosophy and mathematics, computer science, and linguistics.

Publications reflect a focus on metaphysical frameworks, formal systems, and conceptual analysis. Recent work addresses grounding theory, counterfactuals, and the ontology of mathematical objects. Earlier contributions include influential texts like Reasoning with Arbitrary Objects and The Limits of Abstraction.

• Awards: Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy, Guggenheim Fellowship (1978–79), ACLS Fellowship (1981–82).
• Editorial Roles: Former editor of the Journal of Symbolic Logic.

Teaching and outreach include leadership in NYU’s Arts & Science and involvement with advanced academic programs abroad.