Affiliate Researcher, Center Leo Apostel (CLEA) for transdisciplinary research Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) email – John.Messerly@vub.be

Honorary Associate & Author Church and State: challenging religious privilege in public life

Website: reasonandmeaning.com (#24 in “Top 100 Philosophy Blogs You Must Follow,” 9-21-23 – Rankings updated weekly. Blog ranked between #15 and #30 for the past 7 years.)

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Philosophy, Saint Louis University, 1992
(dissertation director: Richard J. Blackwell)
M.A. Philosophy, Saint Louis University, 1990
(thesis director: William C. Charron)
B.A. Philosophy, University of Mo-St. Louis, 1978

BOOK, ARTICLES, MEDIA APPEARANCES, REVIEWS, MULTIMEDIA

Books

Short Essays On Life, Death, Meaning, And The Far Future,  2022.

Philosophical Ethics: Theory and Practice (Puget Sound Publishing, 2015)

Who Are We? Religious, Philosophical, Scientific, and Transhumanist Theories Of Human Nature (Puget Sound Publishing, 2015)

The Meaning of Life: Religious, Philosophical, Transhumanist, and Scientific Perspectives
(Darwin & Hume, 2013); (Korean translation South Korea: Imprima Korean Agency, 2014.)

Piaget’s Conception of Evolution (Rowman & Littlefield, 1996)

An Introduction to Ethical Theories (University Press of America, 1995)

Sample Articles

2022-08-23. “Why Does The World Exist,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2021-10-19. “The Ascent of Meaning,” in Pojman & Vaughn ed., The Moral Life: An Introductory Reader in Ethics and Literature, 7^th edition, Oxford University Press, 2022. (Reprinted in Philosophy: The Quest for Truth 12^th ed. Oxford University Press, 2023.)

2016-05-17. “Ethicists Generally Agree: The Pro-Life Arguments Are Worthless,” in Critical Perspectives on Abortion: Analyzing the Issues, Anne C. Cunningham, ed., (Enslow Publishing 2017.)

2015-01-20.  “Cosmic Evolution and the Meaning of Life,” Scientia Salon. (reprinted in Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, High Existence, and Humanity+ Magazine.)

2014-12-21. “Religion’s smart-people problem: The shaky intellectual foundations of absolute faith,” Salon. (reprinted in Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies and in Church and State.)

2014-11-16.  “Death Should Be Optional,” Salon. (reprinted in Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, Humanity+Magazine, and Church and State.)

“Piaget’s Biology,” Chapter 4 in The Cambridge Companion to Piaget (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy), Cambridge University Press, 2009, 94-109.

“Disclosive Computer Ethics?” ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, Volume 37, Issue 1 (June 2007.)

“How computer games affect CS (and other) students’ school performance,” Communications of the ACM, March 2004. (reprinted as “Online Game Playing Can Be Addictive,” in Addiction: Opposing Viewpoints (Farmington Hills, MI.: Greenhaven Press 2009.)

“I’m Glad the Future Doesn’t Need Us: A Critique of Joy’s Pessimistic Futurism,” ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, Volume 32: Issue 6, June 2003.

“Psychogenesis and the History of Science: Piaget and the Problem of Scientific Change,” The Modern Schoolman LXXIII, 1996, 295-307.

“The Concept of Faith: A Philosophical Investigation,” The Review of Metaphysics, Vol. 49, No. 1 (Sep. 1995).

“Mystery and Myth in the Philosophy of Eric Voegelin,” The Review of Metaphysics, Vol. 47, No. 4 (Jun. 1994).

“The Animals Issue: Moral Theory in Practice,” International Philosophical Quarterly, Volume 34, Issue 1, March 1994.

“Worse Off Alive: Reply to Garcia” in the American Philosophical Association’s Newsletter On Philosophy and Medicine, 1994, 121-22.

“Constrained Maximizers in Iterated Contexts,” Southwest Philosophy Review, 1994, 107-111.

“Theology and Theologians,” in The Encyclopedia of Multiculturalism, (New York: 1994) 1616-1620.

“The Omission of Unconditional Cooperators: A Critique of Gauthier’s Argument for Constrained Maximization,” Philosophical Studies 67, 1992, 19-39.

“The Essence of Gauthier’s Moral Philosophy,” Kinesis 18.2, 1992, 39-55.

Recent Media Appearances 

2016-10-19. A signee of “Scholars and Writers Against Trump.”

2016-03-03. Quoted in “Is It OK to Torture a Robot?” Inverse Magazine.

2016-01-08.  Quoted in “Automation and Robots Have Only Ever Done One Thing: Make Life Better,” The Daily Dot.

2015-09-21. Quoted in “The Troublesome Future of Killer Robots,” The Daily Dot.

2015-08-05. Quoted in “Artificial Intelligence Will Make Religion Obsolete within our Lifetimes,” The Daily Dot.

2015-04-26.  Interviewed on Dublin Radio, “Does death make life worth living?”
Listen at RTE One Radio Life Matters.

More publications  (Since 2014)

2022-03-17. “The Transhumanist Wager,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2022-04-04. “America Is Growing Apart, Possibly for Good,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2022-03-23. “What Work Is Meaningful?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2022-03-01. “Can We Live In Virtual Realities?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2022-02-23. “Overpopulation and Immortality,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.2022-01-30.

“Religion and Transhumansim,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2020-04-28. “Yuval Harari Issues Warning at Davos 2020,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2020-04-18. “Is It Moral To Work For A Tech Giant?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2019-08-07. “Reflections on the (Real Possibility) of the End of the World,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2019-08. “To better the world, humans need to be more intelligent and moral. We must evolve,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life. (A reprint of “We Must Evolve,” Humanity+ Magazine, 2014-04-29.)

2019-08. “The Supposed Dangers of Techno-Optimism,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life. (This article first appeared  in the online magazine of “The Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, 2015-08-21.)

2019-05. “A Glorious Future,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life. (A reprint of “Our Amazing Future,” Humanity+ Magazine, 2014-07-17.)

2018-11-22. “A Philosopher’s Lifelong Search for Meaning – Part 5 – Transhumanism and Meaning,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2018-9-3. “Survival of the Richest,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2018-08. “Is There An Afterlife?” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2018-08. “Western Philosophy – The Beginnings of Rationalistic Thinking,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2018-06. “Christianity and Abortion: Scripture and Church Tradition,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2018-06. “Transhumanism: How Science Will Make Us Immortal,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2018-05. “Death Is Bad,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2018-05. “The Value of Philosophy,” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2018-05-22. “Is Transhumanism a Religion?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2018-04. “What Do Philosophers Think About Abortion?” Church and State: Challenging Religious Privilege in Public Life.

2018-01-03. “Summary of Jaron Lanier’s Who Owns the Future?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-12-05. “Evolution and Ethics,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-11-22. “What If Mueller Proves His Case and it Doesn’t Matter?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-10-19. Hoffer’s “The True Believer” and Trump, Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-05-17. “Comey’s Firing: Do We Live in a Kleptocracy?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-05-01. “What Is The Point of Money?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-04-16. “Psychological Impediments to Good Thinking,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-03-08. “Summary of Victor Frankl on “Tragic Optimism,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-03-06. “How To Cope With This Stressful Presidency,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-02-27. “A Defense of Hope,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-02-19. “Trump’s Lying Reveals That He Is Empty Inside,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-02-8. “Why Truth Matters,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-02-06. “Harry Frankfurt on Bullshit and Lying,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-02-15. “The USA Overthrows Democracies Abroad, Will They Overthrow Their Own?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-02-13. “Douthat’s “How Populism Stumbles” and Frum’s “How To Build An Autocracy,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-02-04. “Summary of Maslow on Self-Transcendence,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-01-19. “Is Trump A Legitimate President?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-01-12. “Can We Evolve Fast Enough To Survive?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-01-10. “Will Trump Be Impeached?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-01-8. “Yes, America is Descending into Totalitarianism,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. (reprinted in “syndax vuzz,” and Church and State.)

2017-1-5. “American Authoritarianism, Coming 2017,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-01-03. “Articles About American Authoritarianism” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-01-01. “Michael Brenner’s ‘America, The Disgraced Super-power’,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-12-29. “Major Ideas in Henry Giroux’s ‘Orwell, Huxley and America’s Plunge into Authoritarianism’,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-12-27. “Summary of Umberto Eco on Fascism & Its Connection to Trump,”
Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-12-25. “Michael Brenner’s: ‘How Autocracy Will Come To America’,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-12-22. “Eliezer Yudkowsky on Politics – Part 2,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-12-20. “Eliezer Yudkowsky on Politics – Part 1,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-12-16. “Do You Have A Right To Your Opinion? Trump and Millions of Illegal Votes,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-12-13. “Education and the Election,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-12-10. “Devastated by the American Presidential Election,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-11-13. “A Summary of Plato’s Political Theory and American Politics 2016,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-11-11. Summary of “How Technology Hijacks People’s Minds,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-11-05. “Building A Better Human With Science Revisited,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-11-04. “Building A Better Human With Science? The Public Says, No Thanks,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-09-05. “The ‘Transcension Hypothesis’ and the ‘Fermi Paradox‘,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-08-14. “The Movie ‘Spotlight’: Philosophical Reflections,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-07-28. “Skepticism and the Meaning of Life,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-07-23. “How To Live With Doubts About Life’s Meaning,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-07-12. “Bertrand Russell on Fearing Thought,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-07-07. “Is American on the Verge of Civil War?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-06-08. “The Monotony of Work,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-06-04. “Science and the Meaning of Life,” Humanity+ Magazine. (reprinted in Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies and Church and State.)

2016-05-28. “William James: Once Born and Twice Born People,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-05-27. “The Injustice of Sexism,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-05-18. “The Positive Effects of Nature on People,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-05-05. “Nicotine Gum for Depression and Anxiety,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-04-23. “Is The Singularity A Religious Doctrine?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-04-22. “Meaning in Life as Being Part of Cosmic Evolution,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-04-21. “Moral Theories and Moral Intuitions,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-03-25. “What is the Difference Between Philosophy, Science, and Religion?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-03-21. “Western Philosophy: The Beginnings of Rationalistic Thinking,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, March 6, 2016.

2016-03-06. “Has There Been Biological Progress?” Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-24. “I’m Glad the Future Doesn’t Need Us – Bill Joy’s Pessimistic Futurism,” Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-23. “Summary of Michio Kaku’s, Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-21. “Summary of Marshall Brain’s, ‘The Day You Discard Your Body’,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-17. “Summary of Charles T. Rubin’s, ‘Artificial Intelligence and Human Nature’,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-12. “How Science Can Make Us Immortal,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-10. “Daniel Dennett: In Defense of Robotic Consciousness,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-08. “John Searle’s Critique of Ray Kurzweil,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-04. “Ray Kurzweil’s Basic Ideas,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-03. “The Misfortunes of the Dead,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-02. “Death is an Ultimate Evil,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. (Reprinted in Church and State.)

2016-01-31. “Epictetus: What We Can Control?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-01-19. “Marcus Aurelius: A Brief Summary of The Meditations,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-01-13. “Thaddeus Metz: Toward a unified account of great meaning in life,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-12-10. “Agnosticism Regarding the Meaning of Life,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-11-12. “Religion and the Meaning of Life (Part 2),  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-11-06 “Religion and the Meaning of Life: The Problem (Part 1)” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. (reprinted in Church and State.)

2015-10-31. “Propaganda in America Today,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies

2015-10-23. “Western Philosophical Meditation – clarifying and understanding the mind,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-10-21. “Envy of the Future,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2015-10-11. “Future Technology and Philosophy,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-09-28. “Cryonics and Kim Souzzi,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-09-19. “Cosmic Evolution and the Meaning of Life,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-09-12. “Religion and Superintelligence,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-09-03. “Rethinking Work: Wasting Half of our Waking Lives is Terrible,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-09-02. “Oliver Sacks Has Died in Peace,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-07-26. “Will Transhumanism Lead to Greater Freedom?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. (reprinted in Humanity+ Magazine.)

2015-07-15. “Evolution and Ethics,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-06-12. “Who Are We? Religious, Philosophical, Scientific & Transhumanist Theories Of Human Nature (excerpt),” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-06-12. “Science, Religion, and the Future,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-06-05. “Multiple Answers to “What is the Meaning of Life?” — are any Satisfactory?“ Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-05-30. “The Search for Meaning in a World that Contains so much Suffering and Death,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-05-27. “Aristotle, Robot Slaves, and a New Economic System,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-05-18. “Review of ‘Moral Status of Human Cloning’ by Michael Tooley‘,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-05-13. “Thoughts on Lauritzen’s ‘Stem Cells, Biotechnology, and Human Rights,'” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-05-05. “Four Recent Books About the Rise of the Machines,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2015-04-25.  “The Problem of Personal Identity in Two Pages,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-03-25. “Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: Universal Progressive Evolution,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2015-03-24.  “Atheism as Intellectual Snobbery,“  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-03-15. “Meaningful Work,“ Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-03-14. “Seneca on the Proper Use of Time,” Intentional Travelers “Best of the Blogosphere” Weekend Round-Up #11 (2015-04-11 reprinted in Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, 2016-01-23.)

2015-03-13. “Marijuana for Anxiety,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-03-11. “Utilitarianism” (Part III – Conclusion), Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-03-10. “Utilitarianism” (Part 1 & 2),  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-03-04. “Hume On Suicide,“ Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-03-01. “Depression & Anxiety: Freedom Without Responsibility,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-02-21. “Mark Bittman on the Purpose of Society,“ Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-02-19. “Natural Law Ethics (Part 1 & 2),  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-02-17.  “Will Superintelligences Experience Philosophical Distress?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. (reprinted in Humanity+ Magazine. )

2015-02-14. “Is Ethics Relative? (Part 4 – Conclusion), Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-02-14. “Is Ethics Relative? (Part 3),  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-02-12. “Is Ethics Relative? (Part 2),  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-02-12. “Is Ethics Relative? (Part 1),  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-02-10. “Overpopulation and Technological Immortality,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-01-28. “If There Are Gods, They Are Evil,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-01-27. “Cosmic Evolution and the Meaning of Life,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-1-24. “The End of Religion: Technology and the Future,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. ( reprinted in Humanity+ Magazine, Brighter Brains, and Church and State.)

2015-01-18. “Transhumanism and Religion,” Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

2015-01-14. “Can Life Have Meaning Without Gods?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-01-11. “Does Religion Give Meaning to Life?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2014-12-20. “Superintelligences Are Already Out There!“ Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2014-12-18. “Why Do People Fear Immortality?” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-12-16. “Torture and the Ticking Time Bomb“ Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2014-12-09. “Our Connection To The Future,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2014-12-07. “What Would Life Be Like Inside A Computer? Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, (reprinted in Next Nature.)

2014-11-20. “Death is Like a Ticking Time Bomb“, Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-11-10. “The Transhumanist Wager: Can We and Should We Defeat Death?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. (reprinted in  Humanity+ Magazine.)

2014-10-23. “Transhumanism and Scientific Requirements to Hold Political Office,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-10-20. “The Transhumanist Party: Could It Change Our Future?” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-10-13. “Is It Better Never To Have Been Born? (anti-natalism) Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-10-01. “Black Holes Aren’t Real — Science Sensationalism vs. Science Ignorance,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-09-22. “Truth and Justice,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-09-17.  “How Should We Spend Our Time?” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-09-02.  “Did a God Use Evolution to Design the Species?” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-08-11. “Knowledge and Power: Our Retreat from the Enlightenment,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-08-05. “The Revolt Against Transhumanism,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-07-21. “Transhumanism and the End of Religion,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-07-07. “Jaron Lanier on Transhumanism,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-06-30. “The Brevity of a Human Life,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-06-26.  “The Case for Soft Core Atheism,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-06-25. “Modern Cosmology Versus Creation by Gods,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-06-18. “We Fear Thought,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-05-27  “Is Love Stronger Than Death?” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-05-06. “Implanting Morality” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-04-30. “Intelligence Augmentation” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-04-16. “Optimism,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-04-11  “Aristotle, Robots, and a New Economic System” Humanity+ Magazine. (reprinted as “Aristotle, Robot Slaves, and a New Economic System,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.)

Book Reviews

2017-11-06. “Review of Phil Torres’ Morality, Foresight & Human Flourishing,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2017-07-01. “Review of Massimo Pigliucci’s, Answers For Aristotle: How Science and Philosophy Can Lead Us to a More Meaningful Life,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016.05-09. “Review of Bryan Magee’s, Ultimate Questions,”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-03-29. “Review of Phil Torres’ The End: What Science and Religion Tell Us About the Apocalypse,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. (Reprinted at Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.)

2016-03-21. “Review of Michael Bess’, Our Grandchildren Redesigned,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2016-02-15. “Summary of Hans Moravec’s Robot: Mere Mind To Transcendent Machine‘” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-06-02. “Review of Sam Harris’s Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-02-09.  “Review of Martin Rees’: Our Final Hour: A Scientist’s Warning”  Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-01-20.  “Review of Philip Appleman’s, The Labyrinth: God, Darwin, and the Meaning of Life (Part 2),” Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

2015-01-19. “Review of Appleman’s: The Labyrinth: God, Darwin, and the Meaning of Life (Part 1),” Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

2014-12-15. “Review of Michio Kaku’s, Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century,” Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

2014-06-10.  “Review of Marcelo Gleiser’s, The Island of Knowledge: The Limits of Science and the Search for Meaning,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-06-04.  “Review of Jim Holt’s, Why Does The World Exist?” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-05-21.  “Review (Part 2) of Clement Vidal’s, The Beginning and the End: The Meaning of Life in a Cosmological Perspective,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-05-14. “Review (Part 1) of Clement Vidal’s, The Beginning and the End: The Meaning of Life in a Cosmological Perspective,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2014-04-21. “Review of Damien Broderick’s, The Spike,” Humanity+ Magazine.

Multimedia

2015-09-16. “Evolution Will Change How You See The World — Evolutionary Thinking As Spirituality,” Humanity+ Magazine.

2015-04-28. “Will Religions Convert AIs to Their Faith?” Humanity+ Magazine.

2015-03-17. “Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot Revisited,” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

2015-03-07. “What is Philosophy For?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, March 7, 2015.

2015-02-23. “Alan Watts: Who Am I?” Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies.

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION (RESEARCH)

Transhumanism; Meaning of Life; The Philosophy of Jean Piaget

AREAS OF COMPETENCE (TEACHING)

American Political Philosophy; Bioethics; Computer Ethics; Critical Thinking; Ethical Theory; Evolutionary Ethics; Existentialism; History of Philosophy; Philosophical Issues in Computer Science; Philosophy of Human Nature; Philosophy of the Human Person; Philosophy of Religion; Philosophy of Science; Philosophy of Technology; Symbolic Logic; World Religions.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Seattle University, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy 2011-2017.
901 12th Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122; 206-223-3012

• Ethical Reasoning
• Introduction to Philosophy & Critical Thinking
• Philosophy of the Human Person

Central Washington University, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy & Religion, 2009-2010. 400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926; 509-963-1111.

• Introduction to Philosophy
• Current Ethical Issues
• Symbolic Logic
• Meaning of Life

Austin Community College, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, 2006-2009. Austin, TX.

• Introduction to Philosophy
• Ethics

The University of Texas at Austin, Lecturer, Department of Computer Science, 2000-2006. Taylor Hall 2.124, Austin TX 78712.

• Special Topics in Computer Science—Computer Ethics
• Contemporary Issues in Computer Science—Philosophical Issues in Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

The University of Texas at Austin, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, 2000-2002. Waggener Hall 311, Austin, TX 78712.

• Introduction to Philosophy
• Formal Logic
• Introduction to Ethics
• Ethical Theory
• Medicine, Ethics, and Society
• Philosophy of Human Nature
• Contemporary Moral Problems

Ursuline College, Chair, Department of Philosophy 1996-1999; Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, 1992-1996. 2550 Lander Rd, Pepper Pike, OH 44124.

• American Political Philosophy
• Ancient Philosophy
• Bioethics
• Business Ethics
• Ethical Values
• Evolutionary Ethics
• Existentialism
• Meaning of Life
• Modern Philosophy
• Philosophy of the Human Person
• Philosophy of Religion
• Philosophy of Science
• Philosophy of Star Trek

St. Louis University, Instructor, Department of Philosophy, 1987-1992. 3800 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO. 63156.

• Ancient Philosophy
• Ethics
• Philosophy of Human Nature

INVITED LECTURES

“Is Morality Based on Religion?” presented to honors students in the freshman seminar at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX September 20, 2007.

“Ethics, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence,” presented to honors students in the freshman seminar at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX September 11, 2007.

“Aristotle: What is a Good Life?” presented to the philosophy and history faculty of The University of North Alabama, Florence, AL – April 30, 2007

“Philosophy and Evolution,” presented to graduate and undergraduate philosophy majors at The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX  – October 2000

“The Essence of Gambling,” presented at the Hilton Hotel in Independence, OH– October 1998

“The Ethics of Gambling,” presented at the Marriot Hotel in Cleveland, OH – August 1998

“The Prisoner’s Dilemma as Simulation Game,” presented to the faculty of Ursuline College, Pepper Pike, OH – March 1996

“Kuhn’s and Scientific Revolutions: A Critique,” presented to the faculty of Ursuline College, Pepper Pike, OH – November 1994

“Contractarian Ethics,” presented to the philosophy majors at Lindenwood College, St. Charles, MO – March 1992

“Jean Piaget: The Insights and Illusions of Philosophy,” presented at the graduate student philosophy conference at St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO – Spring 1992

“Constrained Maximizers,” presented at a graduate student philosophy conference at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Carbondale IL – May 1991

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Dept. of Philosophy Outstanding Teaching Award, The University of Texas at Austin, 2001
Merit Stipend for Faculty, Ursuline College 1997
Merit Stipend for Faculty, Ursuline College 1996
Graduate Fellowship, Saint Louis University, 1986-1991

PREVIOUS ACADEMIC POSITIONS HELD

Affiliate Member of the Evolution, Complexity, and Cognition Group
(localized at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel) 2015- 2021.

Affiliate Scholar, Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, 2015-2021.

OTHER ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

PLAN II HONORS THESIS SUPERVISION

“Systems of Health Care in the United States, Great Britain, and the Netherlands: A Comparative Analysis,” Mr. David Ferring, The University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2001.

HUMANITIES HONORS PROGRAM THESIS SUPERVISION

Bioethics of Stem Cell Research: Scientific and Ethical Implications, Ms. Allis Cho, The University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2002.

Reproductive Technology is Outpacing the Law: Disposition of Frozen Embryos and the Right to Privacy for Infertile Women,” Ms. Lauren Allison Brownfield, The University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2002

PLAN II HONORS THESIS READER

The Ethics of Human Experimentation in Children, Ms. Sara L. Heldt, The University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2002.

HUMANITIES HONORS PROGRAM THESIS READER

“The Ethics of Placebo-Controlled Research on South African AIDS Patients: A Kantian and Utilitarian Perspective,” Ms. Miranda Lorraine Wright, The University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2001.

EDITORIAL REFEREE

Ethics, Julie Van Camp, Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2013.
Introduction to Logic, Paul Herrick, Oxford University Press, 2012.
Ethics for the Information Age, Michael Quinn, Addison-Wesley, 4th ed. 2011.
Problems from Philosophy, James Rachels, 2nd edition, 2009.
Why Be Good? Duncan Richter, Oxford University Press, 2007.
You Decide: Current Debates in Ethics, Bruce Waller, Longman, 2006.
The Philosopher’s Way, John Chaffee, 1st edition, Prentice-Hall, 2005.
Getting Started in the IT Business: Essays on the Critical Knowledge Needed for Success, Toby J. Teorey, Ed., Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2004
The Elements of Moral Philosophy, 4th edition, James Rachels, McGraw-Hill, 2004
Gift of Fire, Sara Baase, 2nd ed., Prentice-Hall. 2003
Biomedical Ethics, 4th ed., Mappes and Zembaty, McGraw-Hill. 1997

REFERENCES

Professor Louis de Saussure, Chair of Linguistics and Discourse Analysis; Director of the Institute of Linguistics and Communication; and Board member of the Center for Cognitive Science, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Institute of Linguistics and Communication, Espace Louis Agassiz 1, CH 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Tel. +4132 718 louis.desaussure@unine.ch

Research Professor Thaddeus Metz, Department of Philosophy, The University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Professor Darrell Arnold, Department of Arts and Philosophy, Miami-Dade College, North Campus, NW 27 Ave, Room 5226-15, Miami, FL 33167, 305-237-1262. darnold@mdc.edu

Professor Elaine Rich, Department of Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin, Taylor Hall 2.124, Austin TX 78712, 512-471-9706. ear@cs.utexas.edu

Senior Lecturer Roger Priebe, Department of Computer Science, Texas State University, Nueces Hall 222 San Marcos, TX 78766, 512-245-3436. rp44@txstate.edu

Laurence W. Mazzeno, Ph.D., President Emeritus, Alvernia College, P.O. Box 319, Weems VA 22576, 804-438-9084. larry.mazzeno@alvernia.edu