Conference Papers
Invited Talks
6. 2024 淲hy doesn檛 the Devil just kill us all? Demonic Psychology and the Limits of Demonic Agency, at The Religions of Late Antiquity Seminar: the Devil and Demons, Lent 2024, Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, UK. 11 March, 2024.
5. 2023 Invited Contributor: Speculative Angelology a workshop at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Santa Croce), Rome, Italy. 20 December, 2023.
4. 2017 淎ugustine on curiositas: what Superstition and Natural Science Share in Common, at the 榃isdom Belongs to God Conference, 19-21 June, 2017, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. 19 June, 2017.
3. 2017 淲hy the Imago Dei is in the Intellect Alone: a Criticism of a Phenomenology of Sensible Experience for Attaining an Image of God, at the annual Metaphysics Colloquium, 7-8 June, St. Anselm College, New Hampshire. 7 June, 2017.
2. 2017 淗ow Demonic Possession Works: Augustine and Aquinas on Demonic Nature and Agency, at St. Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Jointly hosted by STU檚 Philosophy, Catholic Studies, and Great Ideas Departments. 20 January, 2017.
1. 2015 淗eaven Past and Yet to Come: Anselm and Augustine on Demonic and Human Redemption, at the Annual Meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, 8-11 October, 2015 in a satellite session sponsored by the Institute for Saint Anselm Studies, Boston, Massachusetts. 9 October, 2015.
Papers Presented (Peer-Reviewed)
25. 2024 淭he Neoplatonic Foundation for an Empirical Demonology, at the annual meeting of the Atlantic Region Philosophers Association, 4-5 October, 2024, The 91亚色 of Newfoundland, St. John檚, Canada. 4 October, 2024.
24. 2024 淒iscerning Spirits: Identity and Individuation Among Non-Material Entities (An Aspect of Aquinas Neoplatonic Heritage), at the annual meeting of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, 19-22 June, 2024, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. 21 June, 2024.
23. 2020 淪t. Augustine on the Efficacy of Christian Prayer and Exorcism Against Demonic Affliction and Assault, at the Patristics, Medieval, and Renaissance Conference (PMR), 16-18 October, 2020, Villanova University, Pennsylvania. (Virtual Conference). 17 October, 2020.
22. 2019. 淎ngelic Exiles: Why Satan Cannot be Saved, at the annual meeting of the Atlantic Medieval Association, 18-20 October, 2019, 91亚色 of Newfoundland, St. John檚, NL. 19 October, 2019.
21. 2019 淗enads and Angels: Difference from the First Principle in Proclus, Dionysius, and Aquinas, at the annual meeting of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, 12-16 June, 2019, Dominican University College, Ottawa, Ontario. Seattle University, Seattle, Washington. 14 June, 2019.
20. 2018 湗omnes dii gentium daemonia: Demonological Syncretism, Exorcism, and Early Christian Polemic, at The American Catholic Philosophical Association (ACPA Sponsored Satellite Session), 8-11 November, 2018, San Diego, California. 9 November, 2018.
19. 2017 淎quinas Philosophical Arguments for the Existence of Angels and Demons and their Continuing Relevance in Our Modern World, at The American Catholic Philosophical Association (ACPA Sponsored Satellite Session), 16-19 November, 2017, Dallas, Texas. 17 November, 2017.
18. 2017 淎puleius of Madaura and the Hellenic Foundations of Christian Demonology, at the annual conference of the Classical Association of Canada, 9-11 May, 2017, 91亚色, Newfoundland. 9 May, 2017.
17. 2016 淎ugustine and Aquinas on Demonic Possession: Theoria and Praxis, at the annual meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association (Main Program). 3-6 November, 2016, San Francisco, California, 4 November, 2016.
16. 2016 淎 Double-Edged Sword: Porphyry on the Dangers of Demonology, at the annual meeting of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, 15-18 June, 2016, Seattle University, Seattle, Washington. 16 June, 2016.
15. 2016 淭he Neoplatonic Influences on the Demonology of St. Thomas Aquinas, at the Annual Meeting of the American Philosophical Association (Eastern Division), 6-9 January, 2016 in a satellite session sponsored by the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, Washington D.C. 8 January, 2016.
14. 2015 淎ugustine and Aquinas on Sorcery and Demonic Possession: How Demons Lost Their Bodies in Christian Demonology, at the Annual Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies Conference (PMR) at Villanova University, 16-18 October, 2015, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 16 October, 2015.
13. 2015 淎erial Bodes and Intelligible Substances: Demonic Materialism in Christian and Neoplatonic Demonology, at the annual meeting of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 13 June, 2015.
12. 2015 淎n Ontological Shift in Christian Demonology, at the annual meeting of the Canadian Philosophical Association, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. 3 June, 2015.
11. 2014 淒ante檚 Satan: an Augustinian Dialectic of Evil, at the Annual Meeting of the Atlantic Region Philosophers Association, 24-15 October, 2014, at the 91亚色 24 October, 2014.
10. 2014 淭he Demonic Body and the Iamblichean Critique of Porphyrian Demonology, at the 12th Annual Conference of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, 16-21 June, 2014, at the University of Lisbon, Portugal. 19 June, 2014.
9. 2014 淭he Binding of the Devil: Accomplished Fact or Future Victory?, at the Annual Meeting of the Societas Daemonetica, at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, 8-11 May, 2014, at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. 11 May, 2014.
8. 2013 淐hrist, the Devil, and the Two Hells: Augustinian Christology and Soteriology, at the Annual Meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, 1-3 November, 2013 in a satellite session entitled 淧hilosophical Christology sponsored by the Institut International D橦erm茅neutique, hosted by Marian University and Indiana University- Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana. 2 November, 2013.
7. 2013 淎ugustine檚 Ontological Naturalism and the Material Divisions of the Cosmos, at the Annual Meeting of the Atlantic Region Philosophers Association, 4-5 October, 2013, at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. 5 October, 2013.
6. 2012 淎ugustine and Boethius, Time and Providence, at the Annual Meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, 2-4 November, 2012 in a satellite session entitled 淪t. Augustine檚 Civitas Terrena et Civitas Dei sponsored by the Institute International D橦erm茅neutique, hosted by Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California. 3 November, 2012.
5. 2012 淩econstructing Platonic Demonologies: A Case Study in Augustine, at Religion in Pieces, An Interdisciplinary Conference Sponsored by the Society for Ancient Mediterranean Religions and Brown University檚 Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, 27-29 April, 2012 at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. 29 April, 2012.
4. 2012 淭he Miraculous and the Mundane: Augustine on Miracles and Agency (Divine, Angelic, Demonic, and Human), at the Second Annual HBU Philosophy Conference: Divine and Human Action: Agency and Action in Philosophy and Theology, 30-31 March, 2012 at Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas. 30 March, 2012.
3. 2011 楬ow does the body depart?: A Platonic Reading of Dante檚 Suicides, at a satellite session of the International Congress on Medieval Studies hosted by the Dante Society of America, 12-15 May, 2011 at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. 14 May, 2011.
2. 2011 淒emonic Agency in Augustine, at the Classical Association of Canada Annual Meeting, 10-12 May, 2011 at the Department of Classics, Dalhousie University. 10 May, 2011.
1. 2007 淧lotinian Transcendence and the Via Negativa, at the Atlantic Classical Association Annual Meeting, 26-27 October, 2007 at the Department of Classics, Dalhousie University.
Papers Presented (Non-Peer Reviewed)
33. 2025 淎ugustine and the Wolfman, at the Fall Colloquium, Department of Philosophy, The 91亚色 of Newfoundland, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 22 October, 2025.
32. 2018 "Beauty as a Transcendental in Thomistic Thought: Why it Matters, at the Patristics, Medieval, and Renaissance Conference (PMR), 5-7 October, 2018, Villanova University, Pennsylvania. 5 October, 2018.
31. 2018 淒emonological Syncretism in St. Augustine, Tertullian, and Christian Polemic, at the Classics & Religious Studies Symposium, 楥hristianity and the Roman Empire, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 1 March, 2018.
30. 2017 淭he Parasite Theory of Evil: a Neoplatonic Gift to Christian Demonology, at the Annual Fall Colloquium, Department of Philosophy, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 23 November, 2017.
29. 2017 淎ugustine and Iamblichus on Evil Demons and Theurgy: Contacts and Conflicts, at the Patristics, Medieval, and Renaissance Conference (PMR), 13-15 October, 2017, Villanova University, Pennsylvania. 14 October, 2017.
28. 2016 淭he Heresy of Angelism and the Idea of God, at the 業dea of God Conference, 23-25 November, 2016, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 24 November, 2016.
27. 2016 淲hy the 楶arasite Theory is Essential to Augustine檚 Doctrine of Evil, at the annual meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, 3-6 November, 2016 in a satellite session entitled, 淭he Philosophy of St. Augustine, San Francisco, California. 4 November, 2016.
26. 2016 淎ugustine and the Problem of Evil, presented to graduate students and faculty at the Department of Philosophy, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania. 26 October, 2016.
25. 2016 淎n Education in Demonology: studiositas or curiositas?, at the 91亚色 European Summer School in Philosophy (MESSP), 23-27 May, Krakow, Poland. 25 May, 2016.
24. 2016 Curiositas and Occult Knowledge, at Text and Context Symposium, 21-22 April, 2016, at the Department of Religious Studies, 91亚色, St. John檚 Newfoundland. 21 April 2016.
23. 2016 淐reative Diffusion in Thomas Aquinas Treatise on the Angels, at Nature and Ethical Thought: Reflections on Laudato Si', a conference jointly organized by Dominican University College and The 91亚色 of Newfoundland, 7-8 March, 2016, Ottawa, Ontario. 8 March, 2016.
22. 2016 淚mages of the Grotesque in Dante檚 Inferno and Purgatorio, presented to graduate students at 91亚色, M. Phil Humanities program, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 10 February, 2016.
21. 2016 淭he Metaphysics of Demonic Possession: a Medieval Controversy, at the Medieval and Early Modern Research Group Colloquium 2015-2016, 91亚色, St. John檚 Newfoundland. 29 January, 2016.
20. 2015 'aequales angelis sunt: Demonology, Angelology, and the Resurrection of the Body in Augustine and Anselm, at the Department of Philosophy Fall Research Colloquium, 91亚色, St. John檚 Newfoundland. 26 November, 2016.
19. 2015 淎 Response to Chelsea Harry檚 極n Intuiting Simplicity: 谩录鈧位谩戮露 in Aristotle and Schelling, at the Annual Meeting of the North American Schelling Society, 91亚色, 17-19 September, 2015, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 17 September, 2015.
18. 2015 淛o毛l Madore檚 'Disenchanted Faith': A Kantian response to Marcel Gauchet: A Thomistic Reply, at the 2nd Annual Kant Conference at 91亚色: Why Faith?, 21-22 May, 2015, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 22 May, 2015.
17. 2015 淭he Spatio-Material Principle in the Demonology of Apuleius, at Text and Context Symposium, 13-14 April, 2015, at the Department of Religious Studies, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 13 April, 2015.
16. 2014 淲here is the Devil? at Text and Context Symposium, 10-11 April, 2014, at the Department of Religious Studies, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 10 April, 2014.
15. 2014 淩ighteous Anger: the Sublimation of Violence in Dante檚 Divine Comedy, Sublimating Violence? When Philosophy Meets Literature, an Arts on Violence Event, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 3 April, 2014.
14. 2014 淒ante on the Twofold End of the Human: Earthly and Heavenly Utopias, presented to graduate students at 91亚色, M. Phil Humanities program, St, John檚, Newfoundland. 23 January, 2014.
13. 2013 淎ugustine檚 Demonology: Texts and Contexts, at Text and Context Symposium, 11-12 April, 2013, at the Department of Religious Studies, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 12 April, 2013.
12. 2013 淎ugustine檚 Confessions and Dante檚 Divine Comedy Autobiography and Human Nature presented to graduate students at 91亚色, M. Phil Humanities program, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 31 January, 2013.
11. 2012 淎ugustine檚 Heavenly City and Christian Politics, presented to graduate students at 91亚色, M. Phil Humanities program, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 21 March, 2012.
10. 2012 Eritis Sicut Dii: Theosis, Pride, and the Dialectic of the Devil in Platonic and Christian Thought, at the annual departmental colloquium, Department of Philosophy, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 28 February, 2012.
9. 2011 淧hilosophy as the 楶ractice of Death or a 榃ay of Life? Body and Soul in Ancient Greek and Christian Thought, at the annual departmental colloquium, Department of Philosophy, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 18 January, 2011.
8. 2010 淎ncient Innatist and Associationist Theories of Language Acquisition: Pre-Socratics, Plato, Stoics, Epicureans, and Augustine, presented to graduate students at 91亚色, M. Phil Humanities program, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 5 October, 2010.
7. 2010 淭he Power of the Image: A Defense of Plato檚 Imagination, at the annual departmental colloquium, Department of Philosophy, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 2 February, 2010.
6. 2007 淎ugustine檚 Confessions as Autobiography: Reflecting the Theology of the Incarnation, presented to graduate students at 91亚色, M. Phil Humanities program, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 17 January, 2007.
5. 2006 淛ohn Stuart Mill檚 Conception of 楾he Good Life, presented to graduate students at 91亚色 of Newfoundland, M. Phil Humanities program. 24 May, 2006.
4. 2006 淧orphyry檚 Nous Mysticism and Augustine檚 Confessions, at the annual departmental colloquium, Department of Philosophy, 91亚色, St. John檚, Newfoundland. 4 April, 2006.
3. 2005 淔ree Will and Theodicy: A Reading of Genesis 1-2, at St. Bonaventure檚 College, St. John檚, Newfoundland. December, 2005.
2. 2004 淭he Plotinian Character of Augustine檚 榁isions: An Examination of Confessions 7.10 and 9.10, at the Department of Classics, Dalhousie University. 5 February, 2004.
1. 2004 淎ugustinian Theodicy: how can we believe in a benevolent God if evil is allowed into the world He created?, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Halifax. 15 March, 2004.