Samuel D. Taylor

Samuel D. Taylor is a visiting researcher in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Kent, where he previously held the position of Assistant Professor. Currently, he serves as the Head of Future Large-Scale Nuclear Policy in the UK Government's Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, focusing on nuclear energy projects. His research bridges philosophy of cognitive science, philosophy of mind, and epistemology, with a focus on causation, evidence, and scientific understanding. Key interests include cognitive scientific explanations, mental representation, and the role of concepts in cognitive theories. He has contributed to debates on mechanistic vs. nonmechanistic approaches in cognitive science and has published widely on topics like explanatory integration and afactivism about understanding. Teaching focuses on contemporary analytic philosophy, particularly philosophy of mind and cognitive science.