Juan F. Álvarez
Ruhr-Universität Bochum - jalvarces[at]gmail[dot]com
Juan F. Álvarez
Ruhr-Universität Bochum - jalvarces[at]gmail[dot]com
I'm a postdoctoral researcher at Ruhr-Universität Bochum in the DFG-funded research unit FOR 2812 "Constructing Scenarios of the Past", where I work on the role of non-perceptual factors in remembering.
My research spans subfields of philosophies of mind and cognitive science, including the philosophies of memory, imagination, and extended cognition. I defend a reliabilist-discontinuist theory of memory (Philosophical Psychology, 2026) and reject exclusionism about remembering and relearning (Philosophical Studies, 2025).
As a member of the research unit FOR 2812, I'm currently investigating how memory extends into the environment, how we imagine other people's pasts, and the nature of early childhood memory.
When I can, I think about the normativity of forgetting, imagination, and empathy.
I completed my PhD as a doctorant contractuel at the Université Grenoble Alpes and Ruhr-Universität Bochum. Before that, I obtained an MA in philosophy of mind at the Université Grenoble Alpes, and earlier a BA in philosophy at the Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia).
I've also been a member of the Centre for Philosophy of Memory since 2020.
Urraeño y montañero.
My paper, "Mnemic extension and appropriate causation", has been accepted for publication in Erkenntnis.
Our paper, "Causally defective remembering" (co-authored with V. Dranseika, K. Michaelian, and C. McCarroll), is now out in Philosophical Psychology.
"A normative account of forgetting" (co-authored with Lou Thomine) will be presented at ECAP12. Our abstract got an honorable mention for its quality.
My paper, "Memory and imagination: Toward discontinuist simulationism", has been published online in Philosophical Psychology.
I've successfully defended my dissertation, which was awarded summa cum laude. Many thanks to my committee!