Gavin Foster

PhD Candidate in Philosophy at Purdue University; Affiliate researcher with the Social and Cognitive Origins Group in the Department of Psychology & Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University

• BA (University of Toronto), MA (Carleton)

Gavin Robert Foster is a researcher whose work bridges the philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and comparative and developmental psychology. Currently a PhD Candidate in Philosophy at Purdue University, he also serves as an affiliate researcher with the Social and Cognitive Origins Group in the Department of Psychology & Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University.

Gavin’s research focuses on the evolution and development of social cognition. He investigates how humans and other animals represent mental states, engage in social learning, and acquire social norms. His interdisciplinary approach spans theoretical and empirical work, exploring the minds of non-human animals (from primates to domestic dogs) and human infants, alongside conceptual inquiries into bounded rationality and Kant’s theoretical philosophy.

Gavin’s recent publications include collaborative empirical research on canine causal inference in PLoS ONE and investigations into mental fictionalism in Philosophical Psychology.

Note: The information on this page is up-to-date as of August 13, 2026.