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5UTONOMY IS VERY HIGHLY PRAISED as something that it is always good to have, and always good to have more of rather than less of.1 The idea seems to be that persons should be autonomous whatever else they might be, and that should act autonomously whatever else it is that they might do. Kantians are fond of saying that a person is autonomous if she or he chooses to live in accordance with the dictates of reason. This, in turn, directly links autonomy to morality, which for Kantians is an inelimin…Read more
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1033The Character of FriendshipIn Danian Caluori (ed.), Thinking About Friendship: Historical and Contemporary Prespectives, Palgrave Macmillon. forthcoming.This essay discusss (1) the differences and commonalities between romantic love and friendship and (2) the differences and commonalities between parental love of friendship.
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84Living morally: a psychology of moral characterTemple University Press. 1989.CHAPTER ONE Moral Character and Moral Theories Social interaction is the thread from which the fabric of moral character is woven.1 For it is social ...
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36Virtue ethics and the arc of universality: Reflections on Punzo's reading of Kantian and virtue ethicsPhilosophical Psychology 9 (1). 1996.While I agree with Punzo's central thesis that virtue ethics is superior to Kantian ethics, the aims of my comments are twofold. On the one hand, I draw attention to some ways in which Punzo overstates the case against Kantian ethics, noting that unattainable ideals as such are no mark against a moral theory. On the other, I build upon Punzo's insights in order to bring into sharper focus the superiority of virtue ethics. Accordingly, I distinguish between inter-species (Kantian ethics) and intr…Read more
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78This essay is part of a symposium on affirmative action that took place at the University of Cincinnati with the distinguished legal scholar Ronald Dworkin. I argue against affirmative action. And I discuss at length the votes of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and the dissent of Justice Clarence Thomas. I develop the idea of idiosyncratic excellence; and I argue that diversity is a weakness insofar as it (a) an excuse for social myopia and (b)an impediment to individuals seeing beyond their differe…Read more
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16Sexual Orientation and Human RightsRowman & Littlefield Publishers. 1999.What rights govern heterosexual and homosexual behaviors? Two distinguished philosophers debate this important issue in Sexual Orientation and Human Rights. Laurence M. Thomas argues that a society which has the constitutional resources to protect hate groups can protect homosexuals without valorizing the homosexual life-style. He defends the view that the Bible cannot warrant the venom that, in the name of religion, is often expressed against homosexuals. Michael E. Levin defends the unorthodox…Read more
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29Moral Motivation: Kantians versus Humeans (and Evolution)Midwest Studies in Philosophy 13 (1): 367-383. 1988.
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87Rationality and moral autonomy: An essay in moral psychologySynthese 57 (2). 1983.Although there are many variations on the theme, so much is made of the good of moral autonomy that it is difficult not to suppose that there is everything to be said for being morally autonomous and nothing at all to be said for being morally nonautonomous. However, this view of moral autonomy cannot be made to square with the well-received fact that most people are morally nonautonomous — not, at any rate, unless one is prepared to maintain that most people are irrational in this respect. I am…Read more
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35Morality, consistency, and the self: A lesson from rectificationJournal of Social Philosophy 32 (3). 2001.
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7Human Survival vs. the Kantian Conception of the Self Reflections on Our Evolutionary Make-upPhilosophy Study 5 (3). 2015.
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10Contemporary Debates in Social Philosophy (edited book)Wiley-Blackwell. 2007.In this important and engaging volume, international scholars present opposing viewpoints to debate ten of the most important issues in contemporary social philosophy. Provides an original analysis of some of society’s most pressing issues Written by an outstanding cast of international scholars Issues covered include the nature of freedom, the limits of religious tolerance, affirmative action, parenting, the death penalty, privacy, violence, world hunger, social diversity, homosexuality, and ab…Read more
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15Acts, Omissions, and Common Sense MoralityCanadian Journal of Philosophy 12 (sup1): 37-46. 1982.
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8Book Reviews:Dignity and Vulnerability: Strength and Quality of Character (review)Ethics 111 (1): 170-173. 2000.
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12Living With One’s Past: Personal Fates and Moral PainPhilosophical Review 107 (2): 307. 1998.This work has a most resounding virtue: It is an essay in moral philosophy written about the ordinary life. Care’s point of departure is a life that is flawed and troubled—one that is dulled to numerous moral considerations, one that is far from capable of just willing itself back on any track, moral or otherwise. And as the book’s title suggests, the question that he is concerned to answer is, How does that kind of person get on with living a morally respectable life? How is it possible for tha…Read more
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3What good am I?In Steven M. Cahn (ed.), Exploring ethics: an introductory anthology, Oxford University Press. 2009.
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52Should Race Matter? Unusual Answers to the Usual QuestionsPhilosophical Review 122 (4): 647-650. 2013.
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346AtrocitiesIn Clifton Bryant Dennis Peck (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, Sage Publication. 2009.This essay discusses the character of many atrocities that have occurred throughout human history.
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103Moral Equality and Natural InferioritySocial Theory and Practice 31 (3): 379-404. 2005.This essay is a commentary upon "Race and Kant" by Thomas Hill, Jr and Bernard Boxill. They argue that although Kant in his anthropological writings took blacks to be inferior, his moral theory requires that they be shown the proper moral respect since blacks are persons nonetheless. I argue that this argument is sound, because the conception of inferiority that Kant attributed to blacks does not permit showing them the proper moral respect. Imagine a defective Mercedes Benz and a Ford Pinto. Th…Read more
Syracuse, New York, United States of America
Areas of Specialization
Normative Ethics |
Social and Political Philosophy |
Areas of Interest
Philosophy of Mind |
Normative Ethics |