Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly is the Teresa G. and Ferdinand F. Martignetti Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University, holding the Harvard College Professorship for teaching excellence. He serves as Dean of Arts and Humanities and Faculty Dean of Dunster House. His research bridges Post-Kantian European philosophy, phenomenology, and cognitive science, addressing topics like time perception, blindsight in primates, and the sacred in Homeric epics. Kelly earned his Sc.B. in Mathematics/Computer Science and M.S. in Cognitive Science from Brown University (1989), followed by a Ph.D. in Philosophy from UC Berkeley (1998). Before Harvard, he taught at Stanford and Princeton.

His work emphasizes the intersection of philosophy and neuroscience, with notable publications including All Things Shining (2011) and his upcoming The Proper Dignity of Human Being. Courses taught span existentialism, philosophy of mind, and aesthetics. Recent articles explore perceptual content, temporal consciousness, and embodied cognition. Awards include Harvard’s highest teaching honor, reflecting his commitment to undergraduate education.

As a Dean, Kelly advocates for arts and humanities education, co-authoring reports like The Teaching of the Arts and Humanities at Harvard College. His interdisciplinary approach integrates classical philosophy with contemporary cognitive science, maintaining a focus on human experience’s philosophical dimensions.