Andrew Spear

Andrew Spear is an Associate Professor in the Philosophy Department at Grand Valley State University, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He has been teaching at GVSU since 2008 and currently serves as Department Chair and organizer of the Philosophy Colloquium Series. He is also a member of the University Academic Senate and the GVSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

His educational background includes a BA from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay (2002), and MA (2005) and PhD (2009) from the University at Buffalo. His doctoral work focused on a priori justification in analytic epistemology, incorporating insights from Husserlian phenomenology.

Andrew Spear's research spans several interconnected areas in philosophy. His primary interests include epistemology—especially internalism and externalism, self-trust, dogmatism, confabulation, and gaslighting—and social epistemology as applied to political and digital contexts. He also works in applied ontology, particularly the metaphysics of biological function, and is a co-author of influential work in Basic Formal Ontology. His research extends into medical humanities, focusing on trust and depersonalization in healthcare, and he maintains a strong interest in phenomenology (especially Husserl) and existentialism. A significant scholarly contribution is his curation of the Walter Kaufmann Website Project, promoting the work of the Princeton philosopher.

His recent publications reflect a growing focus on the epistemic and ethical dimensions of gaslighting and manipulation, as well as the philosophical foundations of biomedical data organization. These works demonstrate interdisciplinary engagement with psychology, political theory, and bioinformatics.

• Member, American Philosophical Association
• Member, Executive Board, GVSU Chapter of AAUP
• Representative, University Academic Senate
• Organizer, Philosophy Colloquium Series

Prof. Spear teaches courses in the history of analytic philosophy, epistemology, logic, and the ethics of digital cultures. He advises on academic matters within the department and contributes to university governance. There is no mention of research grants, but his collaborative work with scholars like Barry Smith indicates active research funding or institutional support. He also supervises departmental operations as Chair.

He leads and contributes to research teams in applied ontology and epistemic injustice. His ongoing projects include exploring the political implications of gaslighting, the nature of patient-physician trust, and the metaphysics of function in biological systems.