About Me

I was born in Florence, Italy. I studied philosophy at the University of Florence, the University of London, and the University of Maryland, College Park. I specialize in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art. In particular, my interests are in the philosophy of literature and the philosophy of the visual arts. Currently, I am working on the intersections between artistic value and values of other sorts, on the nature of depiction, and on the imaginative engagement with narratives.

I wrote my PhD dissertation, titled Artistic and Ethical Values in the Experience of Narratives, at the University of Maryland, College Park, under the supervision of Jerrold Levinson.

I am currently an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Lafayette College, in Easton, Pennsylvania.  Prior to moving to Lafayette, I held appointments at Wayne State University and at Grand Valley State University.

My most recent publications include:

  • “In Sympathy with Narrative Characters.”  Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism (2009).
  • “In and Out: The Dynamics of the Imagination in the Engagement with Characters.” Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism (2008).
  • “The Ethical Criticism of Art: A New Mapping of the Territory.”  Philosophia (2007).