ABOUT

Lydia Barry, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Gannon University. She holds a PhD in Philosophy from Boston College, and a BA in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College. Her research focuses on the philosophy of Plato and the relationship between ancient Greek philosophy, sophistry, and poetry. She has additional research interests in the history of philosophy from a continental perspective (especially Kant and post-Kantian philosophy), the philosophy of art and literature, and a growing interest in the history of feminist philosophies. ​

 

She is working on her first book-length manuscript, adapted from her dissertation on Plato's Protagoras, which interrogates the distinction between Socratic philosophy and Protagorean sophistry using the Promethean myth as a frame with which to read the dialogue.   Dr. Barry's work has appeared in Ancient Philosophy, Epoché: A Journal for the History of Philosophy, the Review of Metaphysics, among others. Her 2024 article, "Finding the Means: Socrates in Dialogue with Simonides" won the 2023 Review of Metaphysics Dissertation Essay contest.

 

Dr. Barry's research interests are integrally connected to her approach in teaching, which both center around human nature and its limits. She is a two-time recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award from Boston College and a 2022 recipient of the Summer Session Teaching Fellowship for the Woods College of Advancing Studies. 

 

When not teaching, researching, or writing, she can usually be found outdoors, running, hiking or perhaps kayaking. A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, she has a strong background in the arts, which informs her research in philosophy of art and literature. She is formally trained in theatre performance, jazz vocals, many forms of dance, painting, and drawing. She spends her downtime listening to podcasts or audio books while doing crafts like cross stitch and knitting.