•  126
    In Defense of a Principled Absolutism against Torture
    Philosophy Today 57 (1): 114-120. 2013.
  •  56
    Expressibility and Truthmaker Maximalism: A Problem
    Organon F: Medzinárodný Časopis Pre Analytickú Filozofiu 14 (1): 49-52. 2007.
    Advocates of truthmaker theory (like David Armstrong) regularly postulate both maximalism (that every truth has a truthmaker) and expressibility (that any truth can be expressed in a propostion). My aim in this paper is to demonstrate that these two theses are inconsistent, and hence that we must abandon one of them if we are to preserve truthmaker theory
  •  67
    The first look at the philosophy behind Stephenie Meyer's bestselling _Twilight_ series Bella and Edward, and their family and friends, have faced countless dangers and philosophical dilemmas in Stephenie Meyer's _Twilight_ novels. This book is the first to explore them, drawing on the wisdom of philosophical heavyweights to answer essential questions such as: What do the struggles of "vegetarian" vampires who control their biological urge for human blood say about free will? Are vampires morall…Read more
  •  62
    Thaddeus Metz, Meaning in Life
    Social Theory and Practice 41 (1): 164-170. 2015.
  •  106
    Heidegger, Arthur Fine, and the Natural Ontological Attitude
    Prolegomena 12 (2): 443-458. 2013.
    In this paper I argue that Arthur Fine and Martin Heidegger present responses to the dispute between realism and antirealism that are remarkably close in character. Both claim that this dispute arises from a failure to take seriously our everyday experience of things in the world. I argue that it is useful to note the similarity between Fine and Heidegger for two distinct reasons: 1) their view provides a viable alternative to the current realist/antirealist dispute–an alternative that has not b…Read more
  •  40
    Ethics and Phenomenology (edited book)
    with Mark Sanders and Jeremy Wisnewski
    Lexington Books. 2012.
    Ethics and Phenomenology examines the relevance of major phenomenologists and phenomenological concepts to ethical inquiry in general, as well as to a broad range of contemporary ethical issues
  •  28
    Argues that Wittgenstein, though himself often silent on particular ethical matters, gives us immense resources for understanding the aims appropriate to any philosophical ethics. This work re-examines some of the landmarks in the history of moral philosophy in order to cast contemporary ethical philosophy in a fresh light.
  •  125
    Understanding Torture
    Edinburgh University Press. 2010.
    Understanding Torture surveys the massive literature surrounding torture, arguing that, once properly understood, there can be no defence of torture in any circumstances.
  •  66
  •  222
    Is the immortal life worth living?
    International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 58 (1). 2005.
  •  90
    Five Forms of Philosophical Therapy
    Philosophy Today 47 (1): 53-79. 2003.
  •  34
    X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-Verse (edited book)
    with William Irwin and Rebecca Housel
    Wiley. 2009.
    _ X-Men_ is one of the most popular comic book franchises ever, with successful spin-offs that include several feature films, cartoon series, bestselling video games, and merchandise. This is the first look at the deeper issues of the X-Men universe and the choices facing its powerful "mutants," such as identity, human ethics versus mutant morality, and self-sacrifice. J. Jeremy Wisnewski (Oneonta, NY) is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Hartwick College and the editor of Family Guy and Phil…Read more
  •  138
    Foucault and public autonomy
    Continental Philosophy Review 33 (4): 417-439. 2000.
    In this paper I argue that the social constructionist view found in Foucault''s work does not condemn one to a deterministic portrait of the ''self.'' Attention to the early and late writings allows one to articulate a weak notion of autonomy even under the heavy-handed descriptions found in Foucault''s early work. By recognizing autonomy as a public task, and not as a notion of freedom relegated to particular individuals, one is entitled to view autonomy as present in Foucault''s work - and not…Read more
  •  107
  •  21
    Heidegger: An Introduction (edited book)
    Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 2012.
    Wisnewski provides a concise introduction to Heidegger’s work through the lens of his best-known book, Being and Time. This insightful, new text guides students through Heidegger’s challenging ideas to help them understand his writings as a whole and his influence on modern thought
  •  217
    A Defense of Cannibalism
    Public Affairs Quarterly 18 (3): 265-272. 2004.
  •  45
    _A smart philosophical look at the cult hit television show, _Arrested Development__ _Arrested Development_ earned six Emmy awards, a Golden Globe award, critical acclaim, and a loyal cult following—and then it was canceled. Fortunately, this book steps into the void left by the show's premature demise by exploring the fascinating philosophical issues at the heart of the quirky Bluths and their comic exploits. Whether it's reflecting on Gob's self-deception or digging into Tobias's double entend…Read more
  •  270
    The case for moral perception
    Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences 14 (1): 129-148. 2015.
    In this paper, I defend the view that we can literally perceive the morally right and wrong, or something near enough. In defending this claim, I will try to meet three primary objectives: to clarify how an investigation into moral phenomenology should proceed, to respond to a number of misconceptions and objections that are most frequently raised against the very idea of moral perception, and to provide a model for how some moral perception can be seen as literal perception. Because I take “mor…Read more
  •  80
    Perceiving Sympathetically: Moral Perception, Embodiment, and Medical Ethics
    Journal of Medical Humanities 36 (4): 309-319. 2015.
    In recent literature on moral perception, much attention has been paid to questions about the relationship between metaethical commitments and moral experience. Far less attention has been paid to the nature of moral perception, its context-sensitivity, and the role it might play in carrying out everyday tasks with decency and care. I would like to reflect on just these features of moral perception in the context of healthcare. I will argue that healthcare providers do in fact have at least an i…Read more
  •  79
    Family Guy and Philosophy (edited book)
    Wiley-Blackwell. 2007.
    _Family Guy and Philosophy_ brings together low-brow, potty-mouthed, cartoon humor and high-brow philosophical reflection to deliver an outrageously hilarious and clever exploration of one of TV’s most unrelenting families. Ok, it’s not that high-brow. A sharp, witty and absurd exploration of one of television’s most unrelenting families, the stars of one of the biggest-selling TV series ever on DVD, now in its fourth season Tackles the perennial positions of _Family Guy_ at the same time as con…Read more
  • Michael Scott is going to die (US)
    with Meg Lonergan
    In Jeremy Wisnewski (ed.), The Office and Philosophy: Scenes From the Unexamined Life, Blackwell. 2008.
  •  96
    The relevance of rules to a critical social science
    Philosophy of the Social Sciences 35 (4): 391-419. 2005.
    The aim of this article is to argue for a conception of critical social science based on the model of constitutive rules. The author argues that this model is pragmatically superior to those models that employ notions like "illusion" and " ideology," as it does not demand a specification of the "real (but hidden) interests" of social actors. Key Words: constitutive rules • critical theory • ideology • recommendations • social facts.