I work in ethics, moral psychology and issues at the intersection of philosophy and psychology. I also do some work in aesthetics and some in epistemology.
keywords
ethics, moral psychology, and issues at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and psychiatry
Teaching
courses taught
PHIL 1400 - Philosophy and the Sciences
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022
Considers philosophical topics and concepts related to the natural sciences, such as the following: science and pseudo-science; scientific method; the nature of explanation, theory, confirmation, and falsification; the effect of science on basic concepts like mind, freedom, time, and causality; ethics of experimentation; and the relation of science to society.
PHIL 1700 - Philosophy and the Arts
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018
Explores controversial questions in aesthetics (philosophy of art), such as: What counts as art? What makes art, music, or even the natural world beautiful? What's the proper way to appreciate beauty? Do some people have better taste in music or art than others? If so, what does 'good taste' mean? Is pop music bad? What about cultural appropriation? Is it wrong when, e.g., white people perform music traditionally associated with black culture?
PHIL 2150 - Ethics and Sex
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018
Explores a variety of moral questions relating to sex and procreation. Topics may include arguments for and against the wrongness of masturbation, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, necrophilia, voyeurism, pornography, sadomasochism, prostitution, abortion, commercial surrogacy and cloning, as well as arguments addressing such additional subjects as what constitutes rape and whether procreation is morally obligatory, optional, or forbidden.
PHIL 2170 - Ethics and Economics
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019
Examines a variety of perspectives on problems at the intersection of ethics and economics, using both empirical data and moral reasoning to evaluate arguments concerning topics such as: government regulation of private industry, protectionist economic policies, fair work compensation, retirement benefits, and access to health care.
PHIL 2380 - Philosophy and Psychiatry
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2022
Introduces problems at the intersection of psychiatry and philosophy, combining philosophy�s critical thinking tools with psychiatry�s empirical grounding. Considers theoretical problems (What is mental disorder? Is there a boundary between normality and psychopathology at all? Is autism, e.g., a disorder?), as well as ethical problems (Is it permissible to administer psychiatric treatment against a patient�s will? Is it permissible to amputate the limb of a patient with Body Integrity Dysphoria who strongly desires the amputation?).
PHIL 2390 - Philosophy and Psychology
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2020
Interdisciplinary course on issues where philosophy and psychology meet. For example, topics such as selfhood, motivation, psychotherapy, freedom, and human behavior are examined. Selected readings in philosophy and psychology are required.
PHIL 2750 - Philosophy and Science Fiction
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020
Explores philosophical issues in science fiction literature and film. Topics may include time travel, artificial intelligence, free will, personal identity, and how scientific advances will change human life and society. Students may read science fiction stories and philosophical articles, and watch several movies.
PHIL 3600 - Philosophy of Religion
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2021
Explores fundamental questions concerning major world religions, especially the Abrahamic religions. Possible topics include: the divine'attributes (Is perfect goodness compatible with the existence of hell? Can God be truly omnipotent?), the problem of evil, divine'hiddenness and evidence of the existence of God, religious experience, the legitimacy of faith, the dilemma of freedom and divine'foreknowledge, God and morality, tensions between religion and science, conceptions of the self in Abrahamic religions and in'Buddhism. Recommended prerequisite: 6 hours of philosophy coursework.
PHIL 3700 - Aesthetic Theory
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021
Introduces major theories of aesthetics and contemporary discussions of problems, such as the nature of art and the problem of evaluations in art. Recommended prerequisite: 6 hours of philosophy coursework.
PHIL 4010 - Single Philosopher
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022
Intensively studies the work of one historical figure in philosophy, with the aim of reaching a broad understanding of the philosopher's whole body of thought. Philosophers covered include, from year to year, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Leibniz, Hume, and Kant. Includes at least one course per year on an ancient author and one course per year on a modern author. Recommended prerequisite: 12 hours philosophy course work. May be repeated up to 12 total credit hours. Same as PHIL 5010.
PHIL 5010 - Single Philosopher
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022
Philosophers covered include, from year to year, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Leibniz, Hume, and Kant. Includes at least one course per year on an ancient author and one course per year on a modern author. May be repeated up to 12 total credit hours. Same as PHIL 4010.
PHIL 5100 - Ethics
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021 / Fall 2022
Presents representative positions in normative ethics and metaethics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.
PHIL 5800 - Open Topics in Philosophy
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020
Variety of new courses at the 5000 level. See current departmental announcements for specific content. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.
PHIL 6100 - Seminar in Ethics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2021
Intensive study of selected topics in ethical theory.
