Philip Robichaud PHILIP ROBICHAUD Department of Philosophy Rice University P.O. Box 1892 Houston, TX 77251 (832) 465-1333 (cell) [email protected] EDUCATION Ph.D. Philosophy, Rice University (Expected 2011) M.A. Philosophy, Rice University (2008) B.S. Molecular and Cell Biology, Texas A&M University (1999) B.S. Genetics, Texas A&M University (1999) AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION AND COMPETENCE AOS: Ethics, Moral Psychology AOC: Social and Political Philosophy, Metaethics, Medical Ethics, Environmental Ethics DISSERTATION Title: The Epistemic Condition of Moral Responsibility and Normative Ignorance George Sher (chair), Baruch Brody, Tamler Sommers Abstract: I defend an account of the epistemic condition for moral responsibility. After criticizing extant theories of the epistemic condition, I propose and defend an account in which epistemic norms play a leading role. I argue that an agent’s ignorance is culpable only if it is traceable to failures to respond to the epistemic reasons that ground epistemic norms. I analyze the nature of epistemic norms and their underlying epistemic reasons, and I argue that the relevant norms are picked out by reference to the epistemic capacities of the agent. I also develop a notion of the self that is required for grounding claims of epistemic responsibility. Finally, I discuss the implications of my view for a special class of ignorance, namely normative ignorance, and I argue that my account captures much of what is intuitive about such cases. PAPERS IN PREPARATION “Culpable ignorance, control, and quality of will” “Epistemic agency and quality of will” 1 of 4 Philip Robichaud CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Comments on “Deceiving you, deceiving me: The nature and morality of self deception” By Amber Griffoen. Rocky Mountain Ethics Conference, (invited) August 2010 “State responsibility and climate change: enough blame to go around” Ethics, Energy, and the Future Conference at TU Delft, (refereed) July 2010 “Objections to epistemic skepticism about moral responsibility” CEU “Aspects of Responsibility workshop, July 2010 “Success and the Scientific Conception of Human Agency” Nammour Symposium on The Meaning of Success, Sacramento State University, (invited) April 2010 “Beyond Autonomy: A Social Moral Epistemological Defense of Informed Consent” , Meeting of the European Society of Philosophy and Medical Humanities, (Declined) August 2007 “Is there a public conception of health and disease” with Jeremy Garrett, Meeting of the European Society of Philosophy and Medical Humanities, (refereed) August 2006 Comments on “Can there be reasons that don’t require?” by Ben Sachs Pacific APA meeting, (invited) 2006 “Dangerous Intersection: Two Theories of Responsibility and State Responsibility” Conference on Value Inquiry, (refereed) April, 2005 “The Dime Made Me Do It: Situationism and Moral Responsibility” Mid-South Philosophy Conference, (refereed) February, 2005 “Externalism and Moral Uncertainty” Mid-South Philosophy Conference, (refereed) February, 2004 HONORS Humanities Research Center: Dissertation Writing Fellowship, 2008-2009 Sarofim Teaching Fellowship: to teach Historical Intro to Philosophy course, 2009 Dunlavie Teaching Fellowship: to design and teach a writing intensive introductory course, 2006 TU Delft Travel Award: to attend Ethics, Energy, and the Future Conference 2 of 4 Philip Robichaud TEACHING Rice University: (courses with full responsibility) Problems of Philosophy (3X): summer & fall 2006, summer 2007 Historical Introduction to Philosophy: fall 2009 Rice University: (teaching assistant) Philosophy of Religion (Baruch Brody) Contemporary Moral Issues (George Sher) Moral Psychology (George Sher) Philosophical Aspects of Cognitive Science (Eric Margolis) Baylor Medical School: Small Group Discussion Leader in first year ethics course– Spring 2007, 2010 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Established and organized Rice University Department of Philosophy Work-in- Progress talk series for faculty and graduate students 2009-10 Community member of Baylor Medical School IRB, August 2005-May 2007 Assistant managing editor for The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, 2003-07 OTHER FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT Nerve conduction study technician for Duke Neurology of Raleigh: Summer 2008- Summer 2009 (while on leave from Rice University) Nerve conduction study technician for Texas Neurodiagnostic Associates: Fall 2005 – Fall 2006 (while on a leave from Rice University) Genetics Lab Technician: Ted Hall, Department of Botany, Texas A&M University 1998-2003) GRADUATE COURSEWORK (* indicates audit) MORAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY Free Will* Susan Wolf, UNC Objectivity of Value* Susan Wolf, UNC Reasons* Ram Neta and Dorit Bar-on, UNC Metaethics* Geoff Sayre-McCord, UNC Moral Methodology* Alistair Norcross, Rice Metaethics Alistair Norcross, Rice Consequentialism Alistair Norcross, Rice Social & Political George Sher, Rice Neutrality George Sher, Rice 3 of 4 Philip Robichaud Moral Psychology George Sher, Rice Ethical Theory Baruch Brody, Rice Research Ethics Baruch Brody, Rice Health Care Policy and Ethics H. Tristram Engelhardt, Rice Concepts of Disease and Health H. Tristram Engelhardt, Rice CORE ANALYTIC Philosophy of Language Eric Margolis, Rice Intuitions Eric Margolis, Rice History of Analytic Philosophy Richard Grandy, Rice Epistemology* Sherry Rousch, Rice LOGIC Mathematical Logic Richard Grandy, Rice HISTORY Phenomenology Dermot Moran, Rice Modern Philosophy Mark Kulstad, Rice REFERENCES George Sher, Rice University Email: [email protected] Phone: (713) 348-2723 Baruch Brody, Rice University Email: [email protected] Phone: (713) 348-4994 Tamler Sommers, University of Houston Email: [email protected] Phone: (713) 743-3032 Alastair Norcross, University of Colorado, Boulder Email: [email protected] Phone: (303) 492-7527 4 of 4.