Nathan Nobis

							                                           Curriculum Vitae
                                            Nathan Nobis
Philosophy Department, Morehouse College                                            www.NathanNobis.com
830 Westview Dr. SW                                                                nathan.nobis@gmail.com
Atlanta, GA 30314                                                                       404-825-1740 (cell)


Employment
       Fall 2006 – current:
               Assistant Professor, Philosophy, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA
       May 2009 – current:
               Adjunct Assistant Professor of Community Health & Preventive Medicine,
               Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
                       Member: Bioethics Core, Morehouse School of Medicine, Tuskegee University
                       and University of Alabama, Birmingham Cancer Center Partnership
       Fall 2005 – Spring 2006:
               Visiting Assistant Professor, Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham
Education
       Ph.D., University of Rochester, May 2005, Philosophy
       M.A., Northern Illinois University, 1999, Philosophy
       B.A., Wheaton College, IL, 1996, Philosophy, Psychology

Areas of Specialization
       Applied Ethics, Ethical Theory, Critical Thinking, Epistemology

Areas of Competence
       Philosophy of Religion, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Science

Dissertation
        Title: Truth in Ethics and Epistemology: A Defense of Normative Realism
        Committee: Richard Feldman & Earl Conee (co-directors), Edward Wierenga
        Synopsis: Common reasons given to think that moral judgments are never true suggest that
                 epistemic and intellectual judgments, e.g., that some beliefs are rational, justified or
                 should be held, are never true either. I argue that these epistemic anti-realisms are
                 rationally unacceptable and so that major premises that entail them are false. The
                 main cases against moral realism, which rest on these same premises, are undercut
                 and realisms, moral and epistemic, are defended.

Publications [http://sites.google.com/site/aphilosopher/#writings]
   Articles
   1. “Teaching African-American Philosophy of Religion and the Many Problems of Evil” (under
       review, for Teaching Philosophy)
   2. “Critical Study of Robert P. George and Christopher Tollefsen, Embryo: A Defense of Human
           Life (under review).
   3. “Abortion, Metaphysics & Morality: A Review of Francis Beckwith‟s Defending Life: A Moral
           and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice” Journal of Medicine and Philosophy
           (forthcoming, Journal of Philosophy and Medicine).
   4. “Rational Engagement, Emotional Response and the Prospects for Progress in Animal Use
           „Debates‟,” Jeremy Garrett, ed., Animal Research in Theory and Practice (MIT Basic
           Bioethics Series, 2011) (forthcoming).
   5. “Do Zoos and Aquariums Promote Attitude Change in Visitors? A Critical Evaluation of the
           American Zoo and Aquarium Study,” Marino, Lori; Lilienfeld, Scott O.; Malamud,
           Randy; Nobis, Nathan; Broglio, Ron; Society and Animals, Volume 18, Number 2, 2010, pp.
           126-138(13).

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   6. “The „Babe‟ Vegetarians: Bioethics, Animal Minds and Moral Methodology,” Sandra Shapshay,
          ed., Bioethics Through Film (Johns Hopkins Press, 2009), pp. 56-71.
   7. “Reasonable Humans and Animals: An Argument for Vegetarianism,” Between the Species: An
          Online Journal for the Study of Philosophy & Animals, August 2008.
   8. “Animals & Medicine: Do Animal Experiments Predict Human Responses?” Niall Shanks, Ray
          Greek, Nathan Nobis, and Jean Swingle-Greek, Skeptic: The Magazine, Volume 13, No. 3,
          Fall 2007, 44-51.
   9. “Feminist Ethics without Feminist Ethical Theory (or, more generally, Φ Ethics Without Φ
          Ethical Theory)” in Ethical Issues for the 21st Century, ed. Fred Adams, 2005, pp. 213-225.
   10. “Ayer and Stevenson‟s Epistemological Emotivism,” Croatian Journal of Philosophy, Vol. IV,
          No. 10, April, 2004, pp. 61-81.
   11. “Carl Cohen‟s „Kind‟ Argument For Animal Rights and Against Human Rights,” Journal of
          Applied Philosophy, March 2004, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 43-59.
                Reprinted: Clare Palmer, ed., Animal Rights (Ashgate, International Library of
                   Essays on Rights, 2008).
                Response: Neil Levy, “Cohen and Kinds: A Response to Nathan Nobis,” Journal of
                   Applied Philosophy, August 2004, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 213-217.
   12. “The Real Problem of Infant and Animal Suffering,” Philo, Vol. 5, No. 2, Fall-Winter 2002, pp.
          216-225.
   13. “What Would Be So Bad If We Rejected Belief in Libertarian Free Will?” De Philosophia, Vol.
          XVI, No. 2, 2002, pp. 21-34.
   14. “Vegetarianism and Virtue: Does Consequentialism Demand Too Little?” Social Theory and
          Practice, January 2002, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 135-56.
                Reprinted: Christine Koggel, ed., Moral Issues In Global Perspective, 2nd Ed.
                   (Broadview Press, 2006).
   15. “Vagueness, Borderline Cases, and Moral Realism: Where‟s the Incompatibility?”
          Philosophical Writings, 2000, Vol. 14, pp. 29-39.
   16. “Cultivating Philosophical Skills and Virtues in Philosophy of Education,” Proceedings of the
          Midwest Philosophy of Education Society, 1999, pp. 149-162.

In Preparation:
     Rational Animals: Critical Thinking & Animal Ethics
     Why Think That?: A Guide to Making Moral Progress

Discussion Notes & Letters
    1. “Abortion and Arguments from Analogy,” American Journal of Bioethics; co-author Abubakarr Sidique
       Jarr-Koroma, Morehouse College, Business Administration-Management, Class of 2011
       (forthcoming).
    2. “Ought We Accept What Neuroscience Might Imply? Many Questions, Incommensurable Answers?”
       American Journal of Bioethics – Neuroscience, Volume 1, Issue 4 October 2010, pages 45 – 47
    3. “Cut the Fat! Defending Trans Fat Bans,” (with Molly Gardner) American Journal of Bioethics-
       Neuroscience, 2010, Vol. 10, No. 3, 2010, 39-40.
    4. “Interests and Harms in Primate Research,” American Journal of Bioethics-Neuroscience, May, Vol. 9, No.
       5, 2009, pp. 27-29.
    5. “Less meat or no meat?” Food Ethics magazine, UK, Spring 2008. (Invited discussion letter).
    6. “In Defense of „How We Treat Our Relatives‟,” American Biology Teacher, November /
           December 2004, pp. 599-600.
    7. “Who Needs the „Actual Future Principle‟? Harman on Abortion,” Southwest Philosophy
           Review, vol. 18, No. 2, July 2002, pp. 55-63.
    8. “Animal Dissection and Evidence-Based Life-Science & Health-Professions Education,” Journal
           of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2002, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 155-159.

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   9.   “„Balancing Off‟ Infant Torture and Death: A Reply to Chignell,” Religious Studies, March
           2001, Vol. 37, pp. 103-108.
                Response: Andrew Chignell, “Infant Suffering Revisited,” Religious Studies 2001,
                    Vol. 37, pp. 475-484.
   10. “„Better Selves‟ and Sympathy: Comments on Gill,” Southwest Philosophy Review, Vol. 17, No.
           2, July 2001, pp. 141-145.

Encyclopedia Articles
   1. “Peter Singer,” Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy, eds. J. Baird Callicott
       and Robert Frodeman (Gale-Thompson Publishing, 2009)
   2. “Animal Testing,” (with Ray Greek and Kristina A. Hancock), for Encyclopedia of Issues in U.S.
       Public Policy, ed. Mark Rushefsky (Gale-Thompson Publishing) (unpublished)

Book Reviews
   1. Putting Humans First: Why We Are Nature’s Favorite by Tibor Machan (with David
          Graham), Fall 2006, The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies, Vol. 8, No. 1, 85-104.
               Reply to John Altick‟s reply, The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies (8), No. 2, Spring
                  2007, pp. 331-339.
   2. Moral Realism: A Defense by Russ Shafer-Landau, Teaching Philosophy, June 2006, pp. 178-
          181.
   3. Why Animal Experimentation Matters: The Use of Animals in Medical Research, American
      Journal of Bioethics 2003, Vol. 3, No. 1.
   4. The Animal Rights Debate by Carl Cohen and Tom Regan, Journal of Value Inquiry,
          2002, vol. 36, No. 4, pp. 579-583.

Invited Lectures
     Speaker for: "From Laboratory to Bedside: Ethical Issues in Clinical and Translational Research"
        conference, Thomas A. Pitts Lectureship in Medical Ethics, Medical University of South Carolina,
        October 29-30, 2010.
     “Ethical Science and Scientific Ethics,” Morehouse School of Medicine, MPH 625: Bioethics,
        February 9, 2010.
     “Ethical Science and Scientific Ethics,” Science Tavern Meetup Group, June 27, 2009.
     “Abortion,” Morehouse College Republicans Club, April 23, 2009.
     “Animal Ethics,” Emory University, Lori Marino‟s NBB470S (Neuroscience and Behavioral
        Biology) “Animal Welfare” course, February 21, 2008.
     “Truth and Objectivity in Ethics and Science,” Center for Inquiry, Amherst, NY, April 2005.
     “Not „Pro-Life‟ and Not „Pro-Choice‟: On the Ethics of Abortion,” Amnesty International panel
        discussion on abortion, University of Rochester, March 2003; SUNY Buffalo, April 2005.
     “Determinism and Blame: Did They Have To Do It?” Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, University
        of Rochester, November 2002.
     “Ethics and Animals.” Calvin College, January 2005; “Ethical Decisions in Medicine” course,
            UR, Spring 2004; SUNY Fredonia Philosophy Society, October 2003; SUNY Brockport
            Philosophy Club, April, 2002.

Presentations
   1. Poster: “Ethical Science, Scientific Ethics and Animal Ethics,” Animals, Research and Alternatives
           conference, George Washington University, Washington, DC, August 2010.
   2. “Moral Progress and Moral Argument Analysis,” American Association of Philosophy Teachers
           Conference-Workshop, Coastal Carolina University, July 29-August 2, 2010.
   3. “Defending Embryo Experimentation,” NC/SC Philosophy Conference, March 2010.
   4. “Why Francis Beckwith‟s Case Against Abortion Fails (& Metaphysics Remains Irrelevant to
           Abortion),”
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              Mississippi Philosophical Association Medical Ethics Conference, November 2008;
              Georgia Philosophical Society, March 2009.
   5.    “Rational Engagement, Emotional Response and the Prospects for Progress in Animal Use
             „Debates‟,” GA Tech Philosophy discussion group, February 2008.
   6.    “Teaching Controversial Moral Issues,” Elon College, Second Annual Working Seminar on
             Philosophy as Transformative Practice, March 2007.
   7.    “R.M. Hare, Non-Moral „Oughts‟ and the Value of Reason,” Central APA, Colloquium paper,
             Spring 2006.
   8.    “Epistemic Irrealisms,” Alabama Philosophical Association, Fall 2005.
   9.    “There Are No True Epistemic Evaluations,” SUNY Buffalo Philosophy, April 2005.
   10.   “A Rational Defense of Animal Experimentation,” APA “Ethics and the Life Sciences”
              conference, University of Delaware, Fall 2004.
   11.   “From Moral Anti-Realism to Epistemic Anti-Realism (and Back)”
              Bled Conference on Ethics, Slovenia, June 2003. (Invited participant).
              Society for Realist/Antirealist Discussion, Central APA, 2004.
   12.    “We‟re All Epistemic Deontologists Now,” Brown Graduate Student Conference, February 2003.
   13.   “Carl Cohen‟s „Kind‟ Argument For Animal Rights and Against Human Rights.”
              Society for the Study of Ethics and Animals, Eastern APA, 2002
              Northern Illinois University “Ethics in Contemporary Life” Conference, September
                 2002.
   14.   “Feminist Ethics without Feminist Ethical Theory (or, more generally, Φ-Ethics Without Φ-
             Ethical Theory)”
              Society for Analytical Feminism, Central APA, 2002.
              SUNY Buffalo conference on feminism, Fall 2001.
   15.   “Vegetarianism and Virtue: Does Consequentialism Demand Too Little?” Morality in the 21st
             Century Conference, APA & U. Delaware, October 2001.
   16.   “What Would Be So Bad If We Rejected Belief in Libertarian Free Will?” Society for Christian
             Philosophers Meeting, St. John Fischer College, Spring 2001.
   17.   “„Balancing Off‟ Infant Torture and Death: A Reply to Chignell,” Western NY Catholic
             Philosophical Association, Canisius College, NY, April 2000.
   18.   “Cultivating Philosophical Skills and Virtues in Philosophy of Education,” Midwest Philosophy
             of Education Society, October 1999.

Morehouse Courses Taught [http://sites.google.com/site/aphilosopher/#courses ]
   PHI 302: Introduction to Philosophical Ethics, Morehouse College (2 sections: Fall 2006; Spring
      2007; Fall 2007; Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Summer 2009; 3 sections, Fall 2009,
      Spring 2010; Fall 2010; Spring 2011). http://philosophy302.blogspot.com/
   PHI 475: Bioethics, Morehouse College (Spring 2008, Fall 2009)
   PHI 410: Philosophy of Religion, Morehouse College (Spring 2007, Fall 2008, Spring 2010;
      Spring 2011).
   Bioethics / Values in the Sciences, a Project IMHOTEP – Public Health Program – 4 hour mini
      course, Morehouse College, Summer 2009; Summer 2010)
   PHI 475: Advanced Ethics: Contemporary Moral Philosophy, Morehouse College (Spring 2009)
   PHI 475: Metaphysics, Morehouse College (Fall 2008, Fall 2010)
   PHI 201: Introduction to Philosophy, Morehouse College (Spring 2009)

        Animals and Ethics, Humane Society University (online) (Summer 2009, 2010).
         [https://sites.google.com/site/ethicsandanimals/]




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Pedagogy and other Seminars Taken
    Elon College, Second Working Seminar on Philosophy as Transformative Practice, March 2007.
    NEH Seminar Summer: Political Obligation, Democratic Legitimacy, & Human Rights: Theoretical
      and Applied Issues, Georgia State University (Summer 2005);
               Directors: Andrew Altman, GSU & Kit Wellman, Washington U., St. Louis
    English 571: Pedagogy: The Teaching of Writing (UR, Summer-Fall 2000).
    Graduate Seminar on Teaching Philosophy, sponsored by the APA and the American
      Association of Philosophy Teachers, Alverno College, WI, Summer 2000. Taught by Martin
      Benjamin, Michigan State University.

Grants & Awards
    Summer Research Grant from Culture and Animals Foundation, 2008.
    $800 from the Morehouse College Public Health Institute for research ethics conference
       attendance, Spring 2008.
    Nominated by students for the University of Rochester 2003 Edward Peck Curtis Award for
       Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student.

Service to Students
    Faculty Advisor to Morehouse‟s Philosophy and Religion Society (since Fall 2006), Objectivist
        Society (since Spring 2009) and Safe Space (starting Fall 2009).
    Discussant for College Republican‟s Forum on Abortion, Spring 2009.
    Academic advisor for many students.

Service to Department & College
    Department Library Liason for Philosophy de-selection project
    Department Webpage Coordinator
    Philosophy Search Committee Member (2008, 2009)
    Attended meetings with Dr. Hazel Irvin on General Education Policies for Department
    Member: Political Science department‟s political theory search Committee
    Member: College-Wide Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee (since Fall 2008)

Service to the Profession
    Member: APA Committee on the Teaching of Philosophy (2008-2011).
    Member, In Socrates Wake, a Teaching Philosophy Blog (since 2008)
    Vice President for Georgia Philosophical Society (since Fall 2009).
    Organizer of Atlanta Philosophy Events webpage: http://atlantaphilosophy.blogspot.com




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