Assistant Professor, Philosophy
- PhD, Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- MA, Philosophy, University of Chicago
- BA, Philosophy, University of Rochester
- BA, Classics, University of Rochester
Aurora Yu, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of San Diego. She received her PhD in Philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied early modern philosophy and ancient Greek philosophy. From Fall 2024 to Fall 2025, she was also a Visiting Student Research Collaborator at Princeton University.
Yu’s research explores how philosophers understand the relationship between human experience, rational inquiry, and the natural world. Her work focuses especially on Aristotle, Descartes, Spinoza, and Du Châtelet, with particular interests in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of perception, and the history of science. Her current research examines sensation, embodiment, and the mind–body union in early modern philosophy, as well as Aristotle’s account of natural teleology and the unity of living beings.
Areas of Expertise
Early Modern Philosophy; Ancient Greek Philosophy; Existentialist Philosophy
Scholarly Work
Yu’s research examines how philosophical methods shape accounts of knowledge, perception, and nature. Her work on early modern philosophy investigates how thinkers such as Descartes, Spinoza, and Du Châtelet developed theories of reason, explanation, and the relationship between mind and world. Her research on Aristotle explores how biological organization and teleological explanation contribute to broader accounts of nature and the cosmos.
Her publications include work on Cartesian deduction and philosophical method, Spinoza’s account of miracles and natural laws, Du Châtelet and Kant’s theories of hypothesis, etc. Her current projects continue to investigate the connections between metaphysics, scientific explanation, and human experience across ancient and early modern philosophy.
Areas of Interest
Yu teaches courses in the history of philosophy, including ancient philosophy, early modern philosophy, and introductory courses in philosophy. She is especially interested in helping students explore foundational philosophical questions concerning knowledge, reality, perception, human nature, and the relationship between philosophy and science.