Dr. Nazif Muhtaroglu

Biography

Nazif Muhtaroglu is an Associate Research Scholar at Yale University, specializing in the study of occasionalism. He earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Kentucky, with a dissertation titled 'Islamic Cartesian Roots of Occasionalism.' Following his doctoral studies, he pursued postdoctoral research at Harvard University's Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, where he dedicated eight years to teaching and academic growth in Turkey. More recently, he returned to Harvard-NELC as a visiting scholar, furthering his research interests from 2022 to 2023. His academic research focuses on exploring causality and free will in philosophy, particularly in understanding the intersection of artificial intelligence and these realms. Muhtaroglu's approach integrates contrasting Islamic and Western philosophical traditions, aiming to offer a comprehensive perspective that bridges the rich and diverse schools of thought. He has significantly contributed to the field through editing books and publishing numerous scholarly papers, and is currently engaged in an exciting book project that examines the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence and freedom through the lens of Islamic kalām and contemporary philosophy.

Research Interests