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Brandon E. Polite

Chair & Professor of Philosophy

Brandon Polite headshot

Meet Professor Polite

he, him, his

Years at Knox: 2007 to present

My work—most of which is collaborative—centers on philosophical aesthetics, with a particular focus on the philosophy of music and the ways aesthetic experience is shaped by social context. I have written on how listening with others can enrich our experience of music, the roles that record shops and record collecting play in deepening musical appreciation, and how the natures of music genres and artistic versions emerge through social negotiation. I am also the editor of Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor’s Versions (Bloomsbury 2025), a volume that examines the aesthetic, ethical, and metaphysical issues raised by Swift’s re-recording project. My research flows into and out from my role as host of the YouTube series, Polite Conversations: Philosophers Discussing Art, where I speak with leading philosophers of art about pressing issues in our field.

My current projects explore what infomercials reveal about commercial aesthetics and consumer culture, as well as the complex relationship between the nature and ethics of stand-up comedy. More broadly, my research engages questions in metaphysics, epistemology, perception, and value theory as they pertain to art, with an emphasis on making philosophical inquiry into the arts and aesthetic life socially grounded and publicly accessible.

Education

Ph.D., 2010, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

M.A., 2005, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

B.A., 2003, Knox College.

Teaching Interests

Philosophical Aesthetics, Metaphysics, Ancient Greek Philosophy, Symbolic Logic

Full Curriculum Vitae (PDF)

YouTube Series: Polite Conversations: Philosophers Discussing Art 

Professional Web Page

Selected Professional Accomplishments

Honors/Grants

Knox College Faculty Exceptional Achievement Award, 2024–2025.

Knox College Faculty Exceptional Achievement Award, 2021–2022.

Edited Volumes

Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor's Versions. Edited by Brandon Polite. Bloomsbury, late 2024 (under contract). 

Publications

“Introduction,” and “Re-recording as Reclamation: Metaphysics, Metaphor, and Taylor’s Versions,” in Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor’s Versions, Brandon Polite, ed. London: Bloomsbury (2025). 

Brandon Polite and Elizabeth Scarbrough, “Patina of Sound: Valuing Vinyl Records as Relics of Aged Interaction,” ESPES. The Slovak Journal of Aesthetics, 14(1) (2025): 104–122.

Brandon Polite and Aaron Meskin, “Why Record Shops Matter Aesthetically: A Case Study in Aesthetic Institutions,” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 83(2) (2025): 165–176.

Brandon Polite, “Uncovering the Flaws in A Philosophy of Cover Songs,” Contemporary Aesthetics, 23(1) (2025).

Brandon Polite, “Taylor Swift, Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” in Bloomsbury Contemporary Aesthetics Library, ed. Darren Hudson Hick (Bloomsbury Philosophy Library, 2023).

Brandon Polite, “Shared Musical Experiences,” British Journal of Aesthetics, 59(4) (2019): 429–447. 

Brandon Polite, “Prelude to a Theory of Musical Representation,” Revista Musica, 17(1): 89–108. (2017). 

Brandon Polite, “The Varieties of Musical Experience,” Pragmatism Today, 5(2) (2014): 93–100. 

Brandon Polite, “Tortured Calculations: Body Economies in Shakespeare’s Cultures of Honor,” Selected Papers of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference, 4(1) (2011): 68–79. 

Presentations

“Lessons from Taylor Swift’s Re-recordings: An Ontology of Versions”:
     Bloomsbury Lecture Series. Online, April 2025.
     Florida International University. March. 2025.

“Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-Recording”:
     Marshall T. Steel Center for the Study of Religion and Philosophy, Hendrix College. October 2023 (virtual).
     ASA Feminist Caucus Committee Virtual Summerfest. July 2023 (virtual).
     College of Charleston. March 2023.
     University of Georgia. March 2023.
     Furman University. March 2023.
     Purdue Normativity and Cognitions Lab. Purdue University, December 2022.

“The Ethics of Re-Recordings.” American Society for Aesthetics Virtual Summer Aesthetics Festival. Co-sponsored by the University at Albany. June 2022 (virtual).

“The Fine Art of Sonic Duplication.” The Aesthetics Research Seminar at Uppsala University. September 2021 (virtual).

“Are Taylor’s Versions New Works of Art?” American Society for Aesthetics, Annual Meeting. Arlington, VA, November 2023.

“Why Record Shops Matter Aesthetically” (with Aaron Meskin). ASA Southern Aesthetics Workshop, Annual Meeting. Furman University, October 2023.

“Stand-up Comedy and the Aesthetics of Revealing and Concealing” (with Mary-Beth Willard). American Society for Aesthetics Rocky Mountain Division, Annual Meeting. Santa Fe, July 2023.

“Social Gaming and the Shared Experience of Agency” (panel on Voyeur Gaming). American Society for Aesthetics, Annual Meeting. Montreal, November 2021.

“Infomercials and the Junk Aesthetics of Consumerism” (with John Dyck). American Society for Aesthetics Rocky Mountain Division, Annual Meeting. Santa Fe, July 2021.

 “Vinyl, Album Covers, and the Continuum of Touch.” American Society for Aesthetics Eastern Division, Annual Meeting. April 2021 (virtual).

“Epistemic Humility and the Limits of Aesthetic Autonomy.” American Society for Aesthetics 78th Annual Meeting. November 2020 (virtual).

Campus and Community Involvement

  • Trustee. American Society for Aesthetics. Feb. 2023–Jan. 2026.
  • Elected Member. Faculty Personnel Committee. 2025–2028
  • Member. Knox College Venture Boldly Campaign Cabinet. 2024–
  • Program Committee Member. ASA Southern Aesthetics Workshop. Nov. 2024–Sep. 2025.
  • Chair. Department of Philosophy. Fall 2018–
  • Member. Honorary Degree Subcommittee, Fall 2022–Spring 2025.
  • Member. Cultural Events Committee, Fall 2020–Spring 2021.

what students say

  • Brandon has been one of my biggest supporters during (and after) my Knox education. He has a unique way of introducing nearly any topic in the classroom, building students' knowledge and confidence around it. Students will come for the interesting course names and stay for Brandon's passion for philosophy and his commitment to students.

    Alexa Custer ’25

  • Brandon is extremely committed to his students. He never fails to go above and beyond to ensure students are connecting to material, nurturing their curiosity, and that students feel empowered to incorporate their interests into their research.

    Madison Byrket ’25

  • Studying and working with Brandon Polite is so enjoyable, one easily forgets that there is learning or work involved. He approaches teaching with a gifted mind and great affability that renders the most intimidating of texts understandable. After class, he is always available to answer questions or extend a classroom discussion. He also works closely with students on the development and fruition of their ideas, providing them multiple opportunities for success. His passion, both for Philosophy and for puns, leaves a fond and lasting impression.

    Lauren Assaf

    English Literature Major and Japanese and Philosophy Minor

  • Professor Polite has the rare ability as a professor to make you feel like you are talking with him one-on-one even when you are in a full class. His real-world examples of philosophical problems will make you laugh, not just because they are hilarious, but because at the same time they clarify those problems and reveal their relevance to your own life. Having been a student and a TA for Brandon, I have seldom seen a professor as effective at making philosophy accessible and exciting to every kind of student.

    Samuel Brownson

    Philosophy Major and Sociology Minor