ELI BENJAMIN

I'm Eli Benjamin, a philosophy Ph.D. student at Temple University. I have earned an M.A. and a B.A. from the Department of Philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

My research interests in philosophy are quite diverse. In the recent past, I have focused on exploring Kant's philosophy, with an emphasis on his conceptions of virtue and the intersections between aesthetics and ethics in his critical project. However, my current research projects have shifted to include investigations into practical reasoning, agency, autonomy, and sexual consent, as well as a scholarly-activist interest in sexual ethics.

In addition to my research, I am honored to serve as an appointed member of the Graduate Student Council of the American Philosophical Association. I am also actively involved in various capacities at both the Society for the Philosophy of Sex and Love and the North American Kant Society.

>> In the Spotlight

Interview: Had a blast talking with Lex LaBar for the American Philosophical Association blog (APA Blog)! We talked about my work on sexual consent, why Bertrand Russell is the coolest person, and how real-life stuff – from friendships to everyday moral dilemmas – lights up some of the most interesting philosophical questions.
Guest Post: I recently reflected here, at the Blog of the American Philosophical Association, on our graduate student strike at Temple University and its impact on our philosophical community.
Podcasts:
- Check out my episode of The Philosopher's Nest Podcast as I discuss my research on Kant and the sublime, alongside insights into interdisciplinary public philosophy with Kyle Van Oosterum and Lewis Williams (Philosophy, Oxford).
- Tune in to my conversation with Dani Reches on the "What are YOU going to do with THAT?" Podcast (Minerva Institute, Haifa University), where we delve into the value of autonomy in sexual relationships and explore my academic journey as an international graduate student.

>> Recent and Upcoming Talks

February 2023 Desires, Salience and Motivational Impact
Workshop on Practical Mental Representations; Chapman University
April 2023 Immortality Made Possible: Revisiting Kant's Postulate of Immortality
W. H. Werkmeister and Southern North American Kant Society Study Group Conference; Florida State University
July 2023 Caring for Valid Sexual Consent
The 4th Munich Graduate Conference in Ethics; LMU-Munich
July 2023 Immortality Made Possible: The Practical Role of Kant's Dynamic Sublime
22nd International Congress of Aesthetics; Federal University of Minas Gerais
October 2023 Caring for Valid Sexual Consent
Online seminar; The Society for the Philosophy of Sex and Love