John Hawthorne

John Hawthorne is the Provost Professor of Philosophy and Linda MacDonald Hilf Chair in Philosophy at the University of Southern California. His primary affiliation is with the Department of Philosophy within USC Dornsife. He specializes in epistemology, philosophy of language, modal logic, and metaphysics. His research explores topics such as the nature of knowledge, ethical encroachment, AI existential risks, and modal metaphysics through rigorous formal methods and conceptual analysis.

Key research themes include the safety conception of knowledge, paradoxes in epistemology (e.g., luminosity), and the application of counterpart theory to counterfactual reasoning. He also investigates intersections between philosophy and emerging technologies, particularly AI ethics. His work often employs formal tools from logic and probability theory to address metaphysical and epistemic puzzles.

Hawthorne has contributed to debates on counterfactual contamination, the rationality of epistemic akrasia, and the methodology of metaphysics. His publications span high-impact journals and edited volumes, reflecting a commitment to bridging analytic philosophy with interdisciplinary concerns like legal causation and technology governance.