Jeffrey Sanford Russell

Jeffrey Sanford Russell is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern California's School of Philosophy, where he also serves as Director of Graduate Studies. He holds a PhD from New York University (2011). His research focuses on decision theory, ethics, formal epistemology, metaphysics, and the philosophy of religion and mathematics. Russell teaches courses on topics like probability, rational choice, and the limits of logic, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches blending philosophy with mathematics, psychology, and economics.

His work explores foundational questions in ethics, such as infinite value aggregation paradoxes, and decision theory, including stochastic dominance and self-locating evidence in cosmology. He has contributed to debates on multiverse hypotheses, moral hedging, and the structure of possible worlds. Russell’s publications appear in top journals like Noûs, Philosophical Review, and Philosophy and Phenomenological Research.

His recent research addresses moral and epistemic challenges in infinite scenarios, such as infinite ethics and fanaticism in decision-making. He also investigates the intersection of metaphysics and formal logic, including composition principles and qualitative grounds for non-qualitative facts. Russell’s work bridges abstract philosophical inquiry with practical implications, such as ethical dilemmas in collective action and the epistemology of divine hiddenness.