Curriculum Vitae
Gavin Robert Foster
Research Interests
Philosophy of Mind & Cognitive Science · Comparative & Developmental Psychology · Philosophy of Biology · Kant's Theoretical and Moral Philosophy · History and Philosophy of Science · History of Analytic Philosophy
Education
2024–2030
PhD, Philosophy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Dean's Graduate Fellow, College of Liberal Arts (one of four incoming students selected).
Dean's Graduate Fellow, College of Liberal Arts (one of four incoming students selected).
2023–2024
Visiting Graduate Scholar, Department of Psychology & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Supervised by Prof. Christopher Krupenye (Social and Cognitive Origins Group). Helped launch the Canine Minds Collaborative dog lab and designed theory-of-mind experiments with dogs. Remains an affiliate of the group.
Supervised by Prof. Christopher Krupenye (Social and Cognitive Origins Group). Helped launch the Canine Minds Collaborative dog lab and designed theory-of-mind experiments with dogs. Remains an affiliate of the group.
2022–2024
MA, Philosophy, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON
GPA 4.00/4.00. Thesis nominated for the Senate Medal: "Mindreading in Great Apes: Dissolving the Logical Problem and a New Multiple Soft-Indicators Model." Supervisors: Myrto Mylopoulos, Andrew Brook.
GPA 4.00/4.00. Thesis nominated for the Senate Medal: "Mindreading in Great Apes: Dissolving the Logical Problem and a New Multiple Soft-Indicators Model." Supervisors: Myrto Mylopoulos, Andrew Brook.
2022
BA (Honours), Philosophy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Minors in History & Philosophy of Science and Indigenous Studies. GPA 3.92/4.00. Governor General's Medal (2017). Undergraduate research with Prof. Franz Huber on Davidson and Bayesian philosophy of science.
Minors in History & Philosophy of Science and Indigenous Studies. GPA 3.92/4.00. Governor General's Medal (2017). Undergraduate research with Prof. Franz Huber on Davidson and Bayesian philosophy of science.
Publications
Forthcoming
Foster, G. R., & Westra, E. "Metarepresentation and the puzzle of desire-attribution." Cognition.
2026
Bastos, A. P. M., Foster, G. R., & Krupenye, C. "Do dogs rationally infer the causes of failed actions?" PLOS ONE 21(2): e0341872.
2026
Foster, G. R., & Westra, E. Review of Acting for Reasons: In Defence of Common-Sense Psychology, by Emma Borg. Mind.
2025
Foster, G. R. "From Monkeys to Infants: The Empirical Challenges Facing Mental Fictionalism." Philosophical Psychology.
Selected Grants, Awards & Honours
2026
Student Award for Best Graduate Paper in Philosophy, Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology
2026
PROMISE Grant, "Animal Minds: New Theories and New Observations," Purdue University
2024–2028
SSHRC CGS-D, "Middle-Ground Conceptualism, Non-Human Animals, and Persistent Challenges in Comparative Psychology" (score 11.07/12)
2024–2030
Dean's Graduate Fellow, Purdue University
2024
PROMISE Grant, "Triadic Approaches in Philosophy of Science," Purdue University
2024
Dr. Thomas Betz Memorial Award, Carleton University
2023
SSHRC Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement; Michel Gaulin Travel Bursary in the Humanities, Carleton University
2023
SSHRC CGS-M, "The Emergence of Thought: Continual or All-at-Once"; Ontario Graduate Scholarship, Carleton University
2022
Douglas Bond Symons Prize in Philosophy (highest graduating GPA in philosophy); Margaret Wade Labarge Fund, University of Toronto, Trinity College
2017
Chancellor R. C. Berkinshaw Scholarship; University of Toronto Scholar, Trinity College
Conference Talks
Fourteen conference presentations and invited talks (2023–2026), including the International Conference on Comparative Cognition, the Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and invited talks in Athens and Cardiff. See the full list →
Teaching
2025–2026
Lecturer, Purdue University
"What Animals Tell Us About Human Nature" (Su 2026); "Philosophical Investigations Through Videogames" (Su 2025, Su 2026); "AI and You" (Su 2025).
"What Animals Tell Us About Human Nature" (Su 2026); "Philosophical Investigations Through Videogames" (Su 2025, Su 2026); "AI and You" (Su 2025).
2022–2024
Teaching Assistant, Carleton University
Introduction to Logic; Language and Communication; Pragmatics.
Introduction to Logic; Language and Communication; Pragmatics.
2020
Teaching Assistant, Esprit Academy, Toronto
Taught disabled children (ages 5 to 12) across core subjects; supported students with sensory disorders and ADHD.
Taught disabled children (ages 5 to 12) across core subjects; supported students with sensory disorders and ADHD.
Editorial & Service
2018–2021
Editor-in-Chief (2020–21), Senior & Junior Editor, Noesis Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy
2018–2021
Editor-in-Chief (2019–21), Senior Editor, Almagest Undergraduate Journal for the History & Philosophy of Science
2019–2020
Vice-President, History & Philosophy of Science Undergraduate Society, University of Toronto
Areas of Specialization & Competence
AOS: Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Cognitive Science, Comparative & Developmental Psychology
AOC: Philosophy of Biology, Kant, History & Philosophy of Science, History of Analytic Philosophy