DANIEL A. ARNOLD, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in the Divinity School,
University of Chicago

Office:
Swift Hall 401A
1025 E. 58th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: 773-702-8276
Fax: 773-702-8223
d-arnold@uchicago.edu

EDUCATION

Ph.D., University of Chicago, 2002
M.A., Iliff School of Theology, 1997
M.A., Columbia University, 1991
B.A., Carleton College, 1988

FELLOWSHIPS AND HONORS

Josephine de Karman Fellowship (2001-2002)
Wabash Fellowship (2001-2002)
Committee on Southern Asian Studies dissertation fellowship (2001-2002)
Wilson Teaching Fellowship (spring, 2002)
Henry Luce Fellow at the Martin Marty Center (2000-2001)
Yinshun Organization Buddhist Studies Fellowship (1999-2000)
Divinity School Fellowship (1997-2000)
Elizabeth Iliff Warren Fellowship (1997-98)
Jacob K. Javits Fellowship (1990-92)
Columbia University Faculty Fellowship (1989-90)
B.A. magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Distinction on senior thesis and in major (1988)

BOOKS

Buddhists, Brahmins, and Belief: Epistemology in South Asian Philosophy of Religion (Columbia University Press, 2005; Indian edition, Motilal Banarsidass, 2008). Winner of the American Academy of Religion's 2006 Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion (Constructive-Reflective Studies). Reviews: Richard Hayes, Journal of the American Academy of Religion 74/2 (2006): 514-517; Douglas Osto, The Journal of Religion 87/1 (2007): 128-130; Owen Anderson, Reviews in Religion and Theology 14/2 (2007): 273-278; Malcolm David Eckel, H-Buddhism (March, 2007); Bradley Herling, Sophia 46/1 (2007): 95-97.

Buddhas, Brains, and Believing: The Problem of Intentionality in Classical Buddhist and Cognitive-Scientific Philosophy of Mind (under contract with Columbia University Press; ms. to be completed January 2009)

ARTICLES

"For Whom is the 'Naturalness' of Language a Problem? Thoughts on Re-framing a Buddhist-Mimamsaka Debate," in Yigal Bronner, Whitney Cox, and Lawrence McCrea, eds., Sheldon Pollock Festschrift (forthcoming)

"Mimamsa," in Jay Garfield, ed., Oxford Handbook of World Philosophy (forthcoming)

"Dharmakirti's Dualism: Critical Reflections on a Buddhist Proof of Rebirth," Philosophy Compass (forthcoming)

"Madhyamaka Critiques of Epistemology," in Matthew Kapstein, ed., The Columbia Guide to Classical Indian Philosophy (Columbia University Press, forthcoming)

"Dharmakirti and Dharmottara on the Intentionality of Perception: Selections from 'An Epitome of Philosophy' (Nyayabindu)," in Jay Garfield and William Edelglass, eds., Buddhist Philosophy: Selected Primary Texts (Oxford University Press, forthcoming)

"Svasamvitti as Methodological Solipsism: 'Narrow Content' and the Problem of Intentionality in Buddhist Philosophy of Mind," in Jay Garfield and Tom Tillemans, eds., Pointing at the Moon: Buddhism, Logic, Analytic Philosophy (forthcoming)

"On (Non-semantically) Remembering Conventions: Dharmakirti and Dharmottara on Samketakala," in Piotr Balcerowicz, ed., Logic and Belief in Indian Philosophy (forthcoming)

"Buddhist Idealism, Epistemic and Otherwise: Thoughts on the Alternating Perspectives of Dharmakirti," Sophia 47/1 (April 2008): 3-28

"Transcendental Arguments and Practical Reason in Indian Philosophy," Argumentation 22/1 (March 2008): 135-147

"Justification and Truth, Relativism and Pragmatism: Reflections on Indian Philosophy and its Lessons for Religious Studies," The Religion & Culture Web Forum (of the Martin Marty Center), November 2006

"On Semantics and Samketa: Thoughts on a Neglected Problem with Buddhist Apoha Doctrine," Journal of Indian Philosophy 34 (2006): 415-478

"On How it Can Be Ultimately True That There Is No Ultimate Truth: Thoughts on Mark Siderits's Personal Identity and Buddhist Philosophy," APA Newsletter (On Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies) 6/1 (Fall 2006): 12-16

"Madhyamaka," The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (published 2006)

"Materials for a Madhyamika Critique of Foundationalism: An Annotated Translation of Prasannapada 55.11 to 75.13," Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 28/2 (2005): 411-467

"Is svasamvitti transcendental? A tentative reconstruction following Santaraksita," Asian Philosophy 15/1 (2005): 77-111

"Candrakirti on Dignaga on Svalaksanas," Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 26/1 (2003): 139-174

"Verses on Nonconceptual Awareness: A Close Reading of Mahayanasamgraha 8.2-13," Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies No.4 (2003): 9-49

"Intrinsic Validity Reconsidered: A Sympathetic Study of the Mimamsaka Inversion of Buddhist Epistemology," Journal of Indian Philosophy 29/5-6 (2001): 589-675

"How to Do Things with Candrakirti: A Comparative Study in Anti-Skepticism," Philosophy East and West 51/2 (2001): 247-279

"Of Intrinsic Validity: A Study on the Relevance of Purva Mimamsa," Philosophy East and West 51/1 (2001): 26-53

"Can Hartshorne Escape Dharmakirti? Some Reflections with Implications for the Comparative Philosophy of Religion," American Journal of Theology & Philosophy 19/1 (January 1998): 3-33

"Mapping the Middle Way: Thoughts on a Buddhist Contribution to a Feminist Discussion," Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 14/1 (Spring 1998): 63-84

"Much Ado about Nothing: Thoughts on Neville's Ontological Question and Comparative Philosophy," Process Studies 26/3-4 (Fall-Winter 1997): 218-237

BOOK REVIEWS

John Clayton, Religions, Reasons and Gods, in Journal of Religion (forthcoming)

Jonardon Ganeri, The Concealed Art of the Soul, in Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, April 2008

Joseph Walser, Nagarjuna in Context: Mahayana Buddhism and Early Indian Culture, in Journal of the American Academy of Religion 75/3 (2007): 684-688

Mark Siderits, Personal Identity and Buddhist Philosophy, in Journal of the American Academy of Religion 74/1 (2006): 247-250

David Loy, The Great Awakening, Journal of Buddhist Ethics volume 12 (2005)

Roger-Pol Droit, The Cult of Nothingness, in Journal of Religion 85/1 (2005): 158-160

Karen Lang, Four Illusions, in The Journal of Asian Studies 63/3 (2004): 827-828

Georges Dreyfus, The Sound of Two Hands Clapping, Journal of Religion 84/2 (2004): 314-315

Ronald Davidson, Indian Esoteric Buddhism, in Journal of Religion 84/1 (2004): 147-150

Toni Huber, The Cult of Pure Crystal Mountain, Journal of Religion 81/4 (2001): 684-685

Janet Gyatso, Apparitions of the Self, in Chicago South Asia Newsletter 25/1 (2001): 9

Richard Salomon, Ancient Buddhist Scrolls from Gandhara, in Chicago South Asia Newsletter 24/3 (2000): 10-11

Gregory Schopen, Bones, Stones and Buddhist Monks, in Philosophy East and West 50/4 (2000): 620-623

John Makransky, Buddhahood Embodied, in Journal of Religion 80/1 (2000): 146-148

Jay Garfield, The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, in Philosophy East and West 49/1 (1999): 88-92

Donald Lopez, Elaborations on Emptiness: Uses of the Heart Sutra, in Buddhist-Christian Studies 18 (1998) : 251-257

PRESENTATIONS AND PAPERS

"Buddhist Idealism, Epistemic and Otherwise: Thoughts on the Alternating Perspectives of Dharmakirti," XVth Congress of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Atlanta, June 2008

Respondent for the panel "Analyzing and Advancing Buddhist Philosophy (I): The Two Truths in India and Tibet," XVth Congress of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Atlanta, June 2008 Invited presentation on svasamvitti, Harvard Comparative Philosophy Workshop, April 2008

"Is Mind or Language the Fundamental Locus of Intentionality? Thoughts on Framing a Buddhist-Mimamsaka Debate," Columbia University conference, "Language, Culture, and Power: New Directions in South Asian Studies," February 2008

"Transcendental Arguments and Practical Reason," Divinity School faculty retreat, January 2008

"Intentionality," Boston University, November 2007 (in the lecture series "Fundamental Concepts in Buddhist Thought")

"Understanding and/as the Translation of Buddhist Philosophy," at the conference "Text, Translation, and Transmission," UC Berkeley, October 2007

"Thoughts on Madhyamaka," invited presentation at UC Santa Barbara Madhyamaka seminar, February 2007

"Justification and Truth, Relativism and Pragmatism: Reflections on Indian Philosophy and its Lessons for Religious Studies," American Academy of Religion Conference (Buddhist Philosophy Group), Washington, November 2006

"Candrakirti and the Metaphysics of Ordinary Language," American Academy of Religion Conference (Buddhist Philosophy Group), Washington, November 2006

"Transcendental Arguments and Practical Reason in Indian Philosophy," 6th Conference of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation, Amsterdam, June 2006

Respondent to Roger-Pol Droit, "The History of Buddhism and Its First Occidental Interpretations: 1820-1880," University of Chicago, May 2006

Dean's Forum (with Professors Margaret Mitchell and James Robinson) on Buddhists, Brahmins, and Belief, University of Chicago Divinity School, May 2006

"On Semantics and Samketa: Thoughts on a Neglected Program with Apoha Doctrine," International Seminar on Logic and Belief in Indian Philosophy, Warsaw and Bialowieza (Poland), May 2006

"On How it Can be Ultimately True that there is no Ultimate Truth: Thoughts on Mark Siderits's Personal Identity and Buddhist Philosophy," American Philosophical Association Central Division conference, Chicago, April 2006

"Buddhists, Brahmins, and Belief," a three-day series of talks at the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, Ithaca, NY, February 2006

"Buddhists on the Brain," in Sightings, November 2005; reprinted in Criterion (special issue on "Celebrating Sightings"), February 2008, pp.29-30

"Causes and Reasons in Buddhist Philosophy: Reflections in Light of Vincent Descombes's Critique of Cognitivism," American Academy of Religion Conference (Religion and Science section), San Antonio, November 2004; American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division Conference, Boston, December 2004

"Are Buddhas Like Calculators? Some Tentative Reflections in Comparative Philosophy of Mind," APA Midwestern Division conference, Chicago, April 2004

"Doing Abhidharma in an Epistemological Key," invited presentation at Smith College / Five Colleges Buddhist Studies Seminar, April 2004

"Buddhas, Brains, and Programs: Buddhist Philosophy of Mind in Light of Some Contemporary Discussions," McGill University, March 2004

"Buddhist Philosophy as a Practice and the Practice of Religious Studies," University of Chicago Divinity School, December 2003

Respondent to Terrence Tilley, "Santideva's Bodhicaryavatara: One Catholic Theologian's Inadequate Reactions Extended," Catholic Theological Society of America conference, Cincinnati, June 2003

"Buddhist Philosophy as a Way of Life," McGill University, January 2003; Binghamton University (State University of New York), February 2003

"Reconstructing Madhyamaka as Transcendental Argument," American Academy of Religion Conference (Philosophy of Religion section), Toronto, November 2002

Critical introduction of Schubert Ogden's Is There Only One True Religion or Are There Many?, University of Chicago Divinity School, October 2002

"Madhyamaka and Transcendental Argument," Harvard University, February 2002

"How to Do Things with Candrakirti," University of Chicago Buddhism Across Asia Workshop, April 1999

COURSES TAUGHT

Click for syllabi from selected courses.

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

McGill University: Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Religious Studies, August 2003-July 2004. Taught Indian Philosophy, Indian Buddhist Epistemology, Advanced Sanskrit; advised graduate and undergraduate students.

University of Chicago: Lecturer in the Divinity School, 2002-2003. (Fall term: Buddhist-Hindu Dialogue: Creativity in Indian Scholasticism; winter term: Indian Philosophy II: The Classical Tradition; spring term: Readings in Philosophical Sanskrit.)

University of Illinois at Chicago: Lecturer in Religious Studies, fall 2002. Taught Eastern and Western Philosophies of Religion.

University of Chicago: Lecturer, department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, summer 2002. Taught intensive course in intermediate Sanskrit.

University of Chicago: Wilson Teaching Fellow in the undergraduate college, spring term 2002. Taught Buddhist Thought in India and Tibet.

Loyola University Chicago: Introduction to Hinduism (two sections), fall semester 2000

LANGUAGES

Sanskrit, Tibetan, French

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Academy of Religion, International Association of Buddhist Studies, American Philosophical Association, American Oriental Society, Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, Buddhist Scholars Information Network

SERVICE

Organizer of the University of Chicago South Asia Seminar, 2006-2007
Faculty Advisor to the Marty Seminar, 2005-2007
List editor, member of Advisory Board, Buddhist Scholars Information Network ("H-Buddhism"), April 2003-present
India-area Book Review editor for H-Buddhism, August 2005-present
Member of Steering Committee, Buddhist Philosophy Group of the American Academy of Religion, November 2005-present
Member of Steering Committee, Philosophy of Religion Section of the American Academy of Religion, November 2007-present
Academic Consultant to Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, Ithaca, New York, March 2005-present
Guest on WGN Radio program "Extension 720," with Milt Rosenberg, May 2005



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