Philosopher

I am a postdoctoral research fellow at the Australian National University, working in the Machine Intelligence and Normative Theory (MINT) lab. I was awarded my PhD in philosophy at the ANU in 2023 for my research on expertise.

I specialize in philosophy of cognitive science, moral psychology and AI ethics. I believe we philosophers are at our best when we are omnivorous with respect to the sources of evidence we consume, and we should be active in gathering the ingredients for such a feast. As such, I employ both the traditional tools of logic and philosophical analysis alongside experimental methods from across the cognitive and behavioral sciences.

Areas of Specialty

Experimental philosophy, metaphilosophy, philosophy of skill, virtue theory and moral psychology, philosophy of cognitive science

Areas of Competence

Buddhist philosophy, philosophy of mind, social epistemology, AI ethics, philosophy of science, cybernetics

Education


PhD in Philosophy
2014-2023

Australian National University, Canberra

Thesis: Philosophical Expertise

Received the Kathleen Woodroofe PhD Scholarship in the Humanities/Social Sciences.


B.A. Hons, Philosophy
(First Class Honours)
2012

Received the School of Cybernetics Scholarship.


Master of Applied Cybernetics
2023

Macquarie University, Sydney
Thesis: Knowing How: A contemporary re-evaluation of the distinction between knowing how and knowing that


Bachelor of Arts
2009-2011

Monash University, Melbourne
Awarded the Monash academic achievement award for philosophy and bioethics

Publications

Academic publications:

 ·         Kilov, D., & Hendy, C. (2022). Pundits and Possibilities: Philosophers Are Not Modal Experts. Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 1-20.

·         Kilov, D. (2021). The brittleness of expertise and why it matters. Synthese199(1-2), 3431-3455.

·         Kilov, D. (2023). Brittle virtue or bust: a new challenge to virtue-as-skill theories. Synthese, 202(3), 88.

 

Selected non-academic publications:

 ·         Kilov, D. (2012, March/April). The rise and fall of remembering. TableAus, (Issue 398). Australian Mensa Journal

·         Kilov, D. (2013). Book Review: Joshua Foer (2012), Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, Reinvention: An International Journal of Undergraduate Research, 6(1).

·         Kilov, D. (2015). Misunderstanding Memory in the Classroom. In Ali, T, How to Learn Anything in 48 Hours. Australia: Hardie Grant Books.

Image by Wolfgang Eckert from Pixabay

Teaching & Employment

Post-doctoral research fellow

Australian National University, School of Philosophy

Australian Research Council Linkage Project: Socially Responsible Insurance in the Age of AI

February 2024 – September 2024

Research Officer for project in complexity science

National Security College, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

April – August 2022

Tutor, Australian National University

PHIL1005 Logic and Critical Thinking, Semester 1, 2022

PHIL2116 PPE integration 2, Semester 1, 2022

PHIL2012 Buddhist Philosophy, Semester 1, 2021

PHIL2061 Philosophy of Mind, Semester 2, 2019

PHIL2012 Buddhist Philosophy, Semester 2, 2017

Academy of Science. Built 1959. designed by Roy Grounds. Photo by Leslie Butler, used under creative common.
ANU Campus

Departmental Service

2018 – 2020 ANU graduate student representative

2022 – 2023 Affiliate of the Machine Intelligence and Normative Theory (MINT) lab at the Australian National University

Australian National University building

Professional achievements

Academic talks and presentations

2023 – “The Mnemonomicon”, presentation of an AI agent created for Demo Day, School of Cybernetics, Canberra

2022 – “The shape and limits of philosophical expertise”, PhD pre-submission talk, ANU Philsoc Seminar, Canberra

2021 – “The Zettlekasten Method for Philosophers”, Foundations Seminar for the graduate students at ANU

2020 – “Are Philosophers Expert Modal Reasoners?”, Group for Empirical Approaches to Morality and Society (G.E.M.S.), New York

2019 – “Do Philosophers Show Signs of Expertise?”, Australian Association of Philosophy Conference, Wollongong

2017 – “Intuition as Philosophical Folklore”, ANU Philsoc Seminar, Canberra

Selected public talks

2018 – Kurukshetra CEG: Guest Lecture and Inauguration

2017 – How To: Academy: “How to: Remember”

2014 – TEDxManly: “The Secret of Memory”

2014 – Neuro-leadership group at Google, Sydney: “The Neuroscience of Memory”

2013 – The Mind & It’s Potential: “The Art and Science of Memory”

2012 – TEDxMacquarieUniversity: “The Art of Memory”

2012 – TEDxCanberra: “Memory Athletics”

2011 – Australian Mensa Conference: “How I learned to remember”

Selected TV appearances

2019 – SBS’ Child Genius Season 2: I was a consultant, designed the memory rounds for the show, developed educational material for the kids and was a guest judge.

2018 – SBS’ Child Genius: As above

2018 – Channel Seven’s ‘House of Wellness’: I provided mnemonic training for the host

2015 – SBS’ The Feed Forum: Expert panellist on cognitive enhancement

2013 – Chanel TEN’s The Project: Provided memory improvement tips

2012 – Chanel TEN’s The Project: Interview on Mensa

2011 – BC’s HUNGRY BEAST: Segment on mnemonics for practical purposes

Select Radio & Podcast interviews

2019 – The Uncommon Podcast: Interview on expertise, memory and philosophy

2019 – The Edge-of-Leadership podcast: Interview on memory and leadership

2016 – Decoding Genius podcast with Lily Serna, Episode 5: Interviewed as an expert on memory and expertise

2015 – ABC Radio Darwin: On my work with teachers in the NT

2013 – ABC Radio with Louise Maher on 666 Drive: Interview about life as a memory athlete

Selected print publications and appearances

2016 ‘Mnemonics: added memory may power classroom success’ by Sherryn Grotch, a feature story in The Age about my efforts to get memory techniques back into schools

2016 ‘Deep Work’ by Cal Newport. I was one of the case studies in Cal’s NYT bestselling book.

Mental athlete

3x silver-medallist at Australian Memory Championships (2011, 2012, 2016)

National record holder (abstract images)

Qualified for and successfully competed at World Rubik’s Cube Championships (2019)

For more about my work as a memory athlete visit mentalathlete.wordpress.com

Other skills

Python (NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn) for data analysis and ML

Survey design and digital platforms for data collection (Qualtrics, MTurk, SurveyMonkey)

Beginner-intermediate language skills in Indonesian

Get in Touch