My paper co-authored with Dan Hooley, "An Argument for Veganism," forthcoming in Philosophy Comes to Dinner: Arguments on the Ethics of Eating (Routledge, 2015) was noticed by Bookforum and picked up by the Daily Nous:
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Robert P. George and Christopher Tollefsen, Embryo: A Defense of Human Life
Robert P. George (Princeton)'s views about marriage have gotten a lot of attention lately. A simple statement of his view is that that marriage is the "kind" of relationship that results in children: since same-sex relationships cannot ("naturally") result in children, he claims they can't be, or shouldn't be considered, marriage. Of course, many opposite-sex marriages do not and cannot result in children, yet they are marriages, so this view seems to have a problem. See this informative and entertaining video by John Corvino that discusses these arguments.
George's views about embryo research (and abortion) appeal to the same kind of "kind" argument: embryos are the "kind" of being that has a "rational nature." Yet embryo's are not rational, or not yet rational, and so this view seems problematic also. Years ago I wrote this paper discussing George's arguments. I re-post it here in case reading it would improve discussion of each "kind" argument, about embryo research and marriage:
Critical Study of Robert P. George and Christopher Tollefsen, Embryo: A Defense of Human Life
I never really tried to publish this paper because I found this book a few years after it was published and so by that point I thought there wouldn't be much interest in a longer critical review anywhere.
For discussion of similar arguments, see my "Abortion, Metaphysics and Morality: A Review of Francis Beckwith’s Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice."
Full paper below:
George's views about embryo research (and abortion) appeal to the same kind of "kind" argument: embryos are the "kind" of being that has a "rational nature." Yet embryo's are not rational, or not yet rational, and so this view seems problematic also. Years ago I wrote this paper discussing George's arguments. I re-post it here in case reading it would improve discussion of each "kind" argument, about embryo research and marriage:
Critical Study of Robert P. George and Christopher Tollefsen, Embryo: A Defense of Human Life
Abstract: In Embryo: A Defense of Human Life (Doubleday, 2008), Robert P. George and Christopher Tollefsen argue that human embryo-destructive experimentation is morally wrong and should not be supported with state funds. I argue that their arguments are unsuccessful.
I never really tried to publish this paper because I found this book a few years after it was published and so by that point I thought there wouldn't be much interest in a longer critical review anywhere.
For discussion of similar arguments, see my "Abortion, Metaphysics and Morality: A Review of Francis Beckwith’s Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice."
Full paper below:
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Bioethics and Cancer Biomarker Research
I currently am working on a chapter on "Bioethics and Cancer Biomarker Research." If you happen to know of any relevant resources on those specific issues, please contact me. Thank you!
Friday, January 10, 2014
Call for Abstracts: Philosophy of Race
A Call for Abstracts for Philosophy of Race: Introductory Readings, a collection in development, is here: http://www.PhilosophyOfRace.com
"Kind" Arguments
Here is a new paper, "Tom Regan on 'Kind Arguments' Against Animal Rights and For Human Rights." This is related to a larger project, "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda: Modal Moral Arguments."
Wednesday, December 04, 2013
Philosophy for Children
Recently I led an impromptu philosophy discussion in a 2nd grade class. The focus of the discussion was on challenging or puzzling cases and questions, such as:
- If everything stopped moving, would time stop? (For how long? Could you tell? If so, how?)
- If you 'woke up' in your friends' body (and your friend woke up 'in' your body), where would you be? What is you anyway?
- Can you know that you are not dreaming right now? If so, does that mean you don't know that you are in this class right now?
Different students gave contrary answers to these questions, of course, and we had a good time exploring these answers and seeing where they might lead.
There is a movement in favor of for philosophy for children. If anyone has any recommended sources on philosophy for children, please share them. Here are some sources:
There is a movement in favor of for philosophy for children. If anyone has any recommended sources on philosophy for children, please share them. Here are some sources:
- Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children
- P4C.COM, a co-operative providing resources and advice on philosophy for children
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Philosophical Ethics Handout
I recently made this one page handout of all the concepts that I use in my philosophical ethics course and philosophical ethics research. Is anything vitally important missing?
Wednesday, November 06, 2013
"Effective Altruism"
Organizations mentioned in the video above:
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Giving What We Can
- GiveWell
- 80,000 Hours
- The Life You Can Save
- Kiva
- Effective Animal Activism
The Singer Solution to World Poverty from the NY Times
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Neuroscience and Ethics
A brief PowerPoint on neuroscience's potential relevance to ethics. Also in PDF. For a seminar (page 5) at the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
An Argument for Veganism
Here is the current final version of a chapter for a forthcoming collection of philosophical essays, written with Dan Hooley: An Argument for Veganism
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