Dr Mei is currently undertaking research in two areas: the philosophy of economics and the relation between continental and analytic philosophy.
His approach to the philosophy of economics involves the application of phenomenology and hermeneutics (Heidegger and Ricoeur) to questions of value, exchange, use and ethics. Most of his focus tends to be on the nature of land as a distinct factor of production, the generation of ground rent, and the ethical-political implications of rent as an unearned value and source of taxation. Economists of interest to Dr Mei’s research include the classical economists, Henry George, Philip Mirowski, Amartya Sen and Nicolaus Tideman. He has a philosophy book on land and economics, entitled Land and the Given Economy, forthcoming with Northwestern University Press (January 2017).
With respect to the relation between continental and analytic philosophy, Dr Mei attempts to understand how each tradition approaches the problem of truth in relation to convictions. Analytic philosophy tends to treat conviction as a quasi-rational kind of belief whereas the continental tradition often sees conviction as a foundational belief warranting a special type of treatment.