Ian MacLean-Evans
LANGUAGES
English (first language), French (fluent), Latin (basic).
EDUCATION
PhD., Philosophy, York University, 2022-Present
Started in September 2022.
Visiting PhD Student, Philosophy, University of Toronto, 2023
Temporary visiting position.
M.A., Philosophy, Carleton University, 2020-2022
Thesis: Spinoza and Self-Destruction: Oppression and Suicide, supervised by Dr. Melissa Frankel and Dr. Christine Koggel. SSHRC funded (see “Grants and Fellowships”).
Awarded the Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement – Graduate Level. See here.
B.A. Honours, Philosophy, University of Ottawa, 2016-2020
Magna Cum Laude.
RESEARCH AREAS
Early Modern Philosophy (with a focus on Spinoza), Social Philosophy, Philosophy of Life.
PUBLICATIONS
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2023). “External Conditions, Internal Rationality: Spinoza on the Rationality of Suicide.” Journal of Spinoza Studies vol. 2, no. 1. See here.
(book review) MacLean-Evans, Ian (2022). Review of Spinoza and the Philosophy of Love, by Michael Strawser. International Journal of Philosophical Studies, vol. 30, no. 4. See here.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Course Instructor, Carleton University, Summer 2024
Courses: Introduction to Logic.
Teaching Assistant, York University, September 2022-December 2023
Courses: Modes of Reasoning: Reasoning about Morality and Values, The Meaning of Life.
Teaching Assistant, Carleton University, May 2020-May 2022
Courses: The Meaning of Life, Greek Philosophy and the Western Tradition.
Nominated for Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (2022).
REFEREED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2024). “The Question of Poulain’s Essentialism.” Paper presented at the 2024 Meeting of the Canadian Philosophical Association.
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2024). “The Principle of Sufficient Reason: Nkrumah on Leibniz, Spinoza, and Consciencism,” Paper accepted at the 2024 Meeting of the Caribbean Philosophical Association (Did not present due to logistical issues).
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2023). “They’ll Always Be With You: Spinoza, Love, and Eternal Minds.” Paper presented at the 2023 Meeting of the Canadian Philosophical Association.
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2022). “Oppression as Suicide Inducing, or Spinoza Against Oppression” Paper presented at the Building Back Better: Opportunities and Risks Graduate Conference, hosted by Carleton University.
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2022). “Bayle’s Missing Critique: Disjunctive Syllogism and Cartesian Corporeal Substance.” Paper presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Western Canadian Philosophical Association, hosted by the University of Manitoba.
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2022). “Spinoza and Self-Destruction: Oppression and Suicide.” Paper presented at the 2022 Southern Journal of Philosophy Workshop, conference titled Early Modern Social Justice, hosted by the University of Memphis.
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2021). “Epistemic Injustice and the Suicidality of the Oppressed: Philosophy and Suicide Research.” Paper presented at the 38th International Social Philosophy Conference hosted by the North American Society for Social Philosophy.
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2021). “Fanon and Oppressed Suicidality: Philosophical Horizons in Suicide Research.” Paper presented at the 2021 Ethics and Applied Philosophy Graduate Conference hosted by UNC Charlotte.
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2018). “Schopenhauer and Neo-Nazis: Compassionate Reasons to Punch a Fascist.” Paper presented at Actualities: Philosophy and Our Present, hosted by the University of Ottawa, St Paul University, Carleton University, and the Dominican University College.
INVITED TALKS
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2021). “New Horizons in Suicide Research: Discussing a Spinozist Framework.” Talk hosted by the Carleton University Philosophy Society.
PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2022) “What is it Like to be Attending Your First Big Conference? An Interview with M.A. Student Ian MacLean-Evans” Interview by Dr. Kyla Bruff, published by the Carleton University Department of Philosophy. See here.
MacLean-Evans, Ian (2021) “Philosopher Spotlight: Spinoza, a Joyful Heretic” on Blogging the Question, a blog by the Carleton University Philosophy Society. See here.
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
Sansom Foundation Graduate Student Scholarship for Studies in the History of Ideas, 2023 ($10,000) (For “Knowing Together: Spinozist Friendship against Epistemic Injustice”).
Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2023 ($15,000) (For “Knowing Together: Spinozist Friendship against Epistemic Injustice”).
SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship – Masters, 2021 ($17,500) (For “Spinoza and Self-Destruction: A Social Account of the Suicides of the Oppressed”).
Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2021 ($15,000) (For “Spinoza and Self-Destruction: A Social Account of the Suicides of the Oppressed”) (I declined this in favour of the 2021 SSHRC grant).
OTHER RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT
Graduate Program Administrator – Acting, Carleton University
Worked as administrator of all graduate programs associated with Carleton’s Department of Philosophy.
Communications Coordinator, Carleton University
Ran communications for Carleton University’s Department of Philosophy. Supervised an undergraduate student.
Research Assistant, Carleton University
Completed various research related tasks under Professor Annie Larivée, helped with the production of articles on Plato, and supervised an undergraduate student. See footnote 1 of this article.
ACADEMIC SERVICE
Anonymous Peer Review – I have participated in double blind peer review for recognized journals. Specifics not provided here for sake of anonymity.
Conference Co-Organizer – I am co-organizing the York University Seminar in Early Modern Philosophy, which meets in May 2024, with a variety of talks on early modern philosophy over the course of two days.
Research Group Co-Organizer – I am co-running the York Philosophy Graduate Research Group for the 2023-24 academic year. The group meets throughout the year to give philosophy graduate students the chance to present and get feedback on their work in a conference-like setting.
Volunteer Hiring Consultant – In the first year of my M.A. I was invited to be a student consultant with the hiring committee for a tenure-track position at Carleton University.
Volunteer Webinar Appearances – In the first and second years of my M.A. I was invited to appear in webinars for undergraduate students to help explain what the M.A. in philosophy at Carleton University entailed and how it might be a positive experience for them.
SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS
Kitty and Lou Newman Graduate Scholarship in the Humanities / York University / 2022
Graduate Entrance Scholarship in Philosophy / York University / 2022
Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement – Graduate / Carleton University / 2022
Departmental Scholarship / Carleton University / 2020
Departmental Scholarship 2 / Carleton University / 2020
Merit Scholarship (Dean’s Honour List) / University of Ottawa / 2020
Gaston Héon Memorial Arts Fund (Dean’s Honour List) / University of Ottawa / 2019
Gaston Héon Memorial Arts Fund (Dean’s Honour List) / University of Ottawa / 2018
Merit Scholarship (Dean’s Honour List) / University of Ottawa / 2018
Ian MacLean-Evans 