Abigail Bergeron

Research Interests

Continental Philosophy, Philosophy of Technology, Philosophy of Law, Existentialism

Biography

• B.A. Honours (Philosophy), Trent University
• L.L.B. (Law), Swansea University
• M.A. (Philosophy: Political and Legal Thought Specialization), Queen’s University
• L.L.M. (Law), Queen’s University

Abigail’s prior research interests include the philosophy of law, particularly constitutional rights jurisprudence and freedom of speech. Her recent Master of Law’s (LLM) thesis focused on the role of behaviour and speech in online environments, whether online speech can  be considered equivalent to forms of in-person or traditional distance communication, and how this tracks the moral and legal regulation of online environments.

Abigail’s current doctoral research builds upon her MA thesis, which applied Continental philosophy to the problem of technological change and technological determinism in relation to driverless cars. While she is  interested in the works of Martin Heidegger, Jacques Ellul and Henry Thoreau, her primary focus is on Albert Borgmann and his framework for interpreting the damaging effects technological devices have had on human life, community and meaning—particularly the negative consequences of incipient GenAI. Her work concerning the impact of social media and digital technology has been published in How Does the Digitization of Our World Change Our Orientation? (2023) Orientation and she has a forthcoming article in The Journal of Camus Studies. She also works as a Graduate Student Advisor for the Queen’s Society of Graduate & Professional Students. In her spare time she grows pumpkins and cares for her five cats.