CURRICULUM VITAE
DENNIS ARJO
Department of Philosophy
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd.
Overland Park, KS 66210
TELEPHONE: (913) 469-8500 x3486
E-MAIL: darjo@jccc.edu
EDUCATION:
Ph.D.–August 1996
University of California, Santa Barbara
Dissertation: “The Very Idea of a Naturalized Semantics”
C.Phil.–June 1992
University of California, Santa Barbara
Qualifying Paper: “What Computationalism Can’t Do”
MA–April 1990
University of Colorado, Boulder
MA Thesis: “Material Minds: A Study of Donald Davidson’s Philosophy of Mind”
BA–June 1985, with honors in the major, (Philosophy)
University of California, Santa Cruz
Senior Thesis: “Words”
DISSERTATION: The Very Idea of Naturalized Semantics
Supervisor: Prof. Anthony Brueckner
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION: Philosophy of Mind and Language
Moral Psychology
AREAS OF SPECIAL COMPETENCE: Philosophy of Education
Comparative Philosophy
AREAS OF COMPETENCE: Ethics
History of Philosophy
PUBLICATIONS:
Ethics Introduced: Readings in Moral Philosophy, co-edited anthology with Dawn Gale and Omar Conrad, Cognella Publishing, 2018.
“Moral Expertise: A Comparative Philosophical Approach”, in Jamie Carlin Watson and Laura Guidry-Grimes (eds.), Moral Expertise: New Essays from Theoretical and Clinical Perspectives, Springer Books, 2018.
Paradoxes of Liberalism and Parental Authority, 2016, Lexington Books.
“Public Reason and Childrearing: What’s a Liberal Parent to do?” 2014, Journal of the Philosophy of Education.
“Review of Brook Ziporyn’s Ironies of Oneness and Difference, ASDP Alumni Chapter Newsletter, 2014.
“Naughty Children and Angry Parents: Punishment, Consequences and Moral Psychology” Philosophical Pathways (182), 2014.
“Ren Xing” and what it means to be fully human”, Journal of Chinese Philosophy (38:3) 2011
“Of Unswerving Horses and Immortal Souls: A Comparison of Confucius’ Use of the Book of Songs and Plato’s Appeal to Poetry”, East-West Connections 6:1, 2006.
“Moral Education East and West: A Comparison of the Philosophical Underpinnings of Ideas About Childrearing in the West and in Confucianism, East-West Connections 5:1, 2005.
“Review of Jerry Fodor’s The Elm and the Expert”, Mind, Vol. 106, January 1997.
“Sticking Up for Oedipus: Fodor on Intentional Generalizations and Broad Content”, Mind and Language, Sept. 1996.
PRESENTATIONS:
The Paradox of Wu Wei and Seeking Enlightenment, presented at theNational Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, New Orleans, LA Mar. 7 2023.
Response to Blakely Phillips on Zhuangzi and Gilbert Ryle, Meeting of the Central Division of the American Philosophical Association, Feb. 21, 2023.
Transformational Experiences and Parental Authority, Presented at the North American Association for Philosophy and Education Conference, Maudlin Il, October 29, 2023.
La plus ça change: Sydney Hook and Academic Freedom. presented at the New Directions in the Humanities Conference, Sorbonne University, Paris, France, June 28, 2023
“Academic Freedom in the Midst of a Culture War”, presented as a College Scholar Talk, Johnson County Community College, April 6, 2023
“Confucianism and China’s ‘Moral Crisis’” , presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Kansas City, MO March 2023
“Defending Academic Freedom: The Function of the University and Disciplinary Norms”, presented at the National Meeting of the North American Association for Philosophy and Education, University of St. Mary of the Lake, 2022.
“Zhuangzi and Disability: A Confucian Response”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, San Diego, CA March 2022, and the Central Meeting of the American Philosophical Association, February 2022, Chicago IL.
“Academic Freedom and Students”, presented at the North American Association for Philosophy of Education Conference, Chicago, IL, October 2021.
“Confucian Intregalism: An Appraisal”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, March 2021
“Judging the Goods of Childhood”, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Central Division of the American Philosophical Association”, March 2021
“Educational Goods: A Comparative Study”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Atlanta GA, March 2020.
“In Defense of Religious Education”, presented at the national meeting of the North American Association for the Philosophy of Education”, Chicago IL, October 2019.
“Punishing School Children: A Qualified Defense”, presented at the Mancept Workshops 2019 meeting, University of Manchester, Sept. 2019.
In Defense of Religious Education”, presented at the 2019 MidSouth Philosophy Conference, Rhodes College, March 2019, Memphis TN, and at the 2019 Meeting of the North American Association for Philosophy and Education, University of St. Mary of the Lake, Chicago IL, Oct. 2019.
“Li and the Political Virtue of Civility”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, March 2019, Nashville TN.
“Homeschooling and the Educational Rights of Children: The Case of Kansas”, presented the Mancept Workshops 2018 meeting, University of Manchester, Sept. 2018.
“Ritual Propriety and Conceptions of Good”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, March 2018, Washington DC.
“Promoting the Intrinsic Goods of Childhood”, presented at Mancept Workshops 2017 meeting, University of Manchester, Sept. 2017.
“Confucian Role Ethics and the Challenge of Gender”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Washington DC, March 2016 and at the Midwest Conference on Chinese Thought, Indiana University, April 2017.
“Response to Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby’s ‘The Virtues of Unfulfilled Desire’’”, APA Central Division Meeting, Chicago, March 2017.
‘Moral Expertise: A Comparative Philosophical Approach’, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, March 2017, Portland Oregon.
“Thinking Through Paradoxes of Adult Authority”, invited presentation, Department of Philosophy, Western Missouri State University, December 2016.
“Xunzi on What Separates us From Other Animals; Some Mencian Considerations”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Phoenix, AZ, 2013; the Meeting of the International Society for Chinese Philosophy, Central Division Meeting of the American Philosophical Association, Chicago IL, 2014; meeting of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, Monterey CA, Oct. 2015.
“The Politics of Moral Education”, presented at the New Directions in Humanities Conference, CEU San Pablo University, Madrid, Spain 2014; Meeting of the North American Society for Social and Political Philosophy, William Jewell University, Liberty MO, July 2015.
“Social Media and Public Shaming”, presented at the New Directions in Humanities Conference, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, June 2015.
“Zhengmingand Standards of Linguistic Practices: Some Considerations”, presented at the National Meeting of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, University of Southern Illinois, Carbondale, 2012 and at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Houston TX, 2014.
“Nature and Norms in Classical Confucianism”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Boston MA, 2012
“How to think about the Self”, presented at the National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Boston MA, 2011
“Evolution and Morality: Should we be worried?”, presented at the New Directions in Humanities Conference, University of Granada, Granada, Spain, 2011.
“From Little Brutes to Equal Partners: A Philosophical History of Western Childrearing’, presented by invitation at Johnson County Community College”, Overland Park KS, 2010
“The Politics of Moral Education”, presented by invitation at Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, 2010, the 2010 Meeting of the Midwest Ethics Society, Columbia College, Columbia MO, and by invitation at Pittsburgh State University, Pittsburg KS, 2009.
“Shame: Destructive Self-Self Loathing or Constructive Self-Criticism?” presented at the National Meeting of the Asians Studies Development Program, Honolulu, HI, 2010
“A Dilemma for Care Ethics and a Confucian Resolution”, presented “Confucianism and Virtue Ethics” conference, Beijing University, 2010 and at the national meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Philadelphia, PN, 2009.
“Pleasantville and the Politics of Nostalgia”, presented the annual meeting of the Western Division of the Community College Humanities Association, Tulsa OK, 2009.
“Social Roles and Moral Agency”, presented at the national meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Chicago IL, 2008.
“Public Reason and Child Rearing: What’s a Liberal Parent To Do?”, presented at the 2008 Meeting of the Midwest Ethics Society, Columbia College, Columbia MO, 2008, and as an invited talk at Wichita State University, 2013.
“Ren Xing and What it is to be Truly Human”, presented at the 13thAnnual Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program”, Seattle WA, 2007.
“Naked Public Squares and the Politics of Morality”, presented at the Inaugural Meeting of the Midwest Ethics Society, Columbia College, Columbia MO, 2007.
“Confucianism and our Duties to Animals”, presented at the 12th National Meeting of the Asians Studies Development Program, Nashville TN, 2006,
“What Darwin Doesn’t Tell Us About Morality”, presented at the Mountains-Plains Philosophy Conference, Washburn University, Topeka KS., 2006.
“Of Unswerving Horses and Immortal Souls: A Comparison of Confucius’ Use of the Book of Songs and Plato’s Appeal to Poetry”, presented at the 11thNational Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Whittier CA., 2005.
“Moral Education East and West: A Comparison of the Philosophical Underpinnings of Ideas About Childrearing in the West and in Confucianism”, presented at the 10thAnnual National Meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Kansas City Mo., 2004.
“In Defense of Traits: Harman and the Empirical Commitments of Virtue Ethics”, presented at the Kansas Philosophical Society Meeting, Kansas State University, 2004.
“Morality, Liberalism and the Crisis of Democracy”, presented at the Demoralization: Morality, Authority and Power Conference, Cardiff University, Cardiff Wales, 2002.
“From Punishment to Consequences: Moral Psychology and Child Development”, presented at the 29thConference on Value Inquiry, Oklahoma State University, April 2001.
“On Genomes and Persons”, presented at the Human Genome Odyssey Conference, University of Akron, April 2001.
“Himmelfarb’s Revaluation of Values”, presented the 27thConference on Value Inquiry, Central Missouri State University, April 1999.
“Kuhn and the Normativity of Truth”, presented at the 28thConference on Value Inquiry, Beaumont University, April 2000.
“Who Really Needs Naturalized Semantics”, presented at the 1996 Meeting of the Pacific Division of the American Philosophical Association, April 5, 1996.
“On the ‘Reductive’ in Non-Reductive Materialism”, presented at the 1996 Meeting of the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, April 4, 1996.
“Are There Such Things as Adding Machines: A Problem for Cummins’ Interpretational Semantics”, presented at the 1995 MIT/Harvard Graduate Philosophy Conference, March 1995.
“Response to Carpenter on Davidson”, Discipuli Conference at the University of Southern California, March 27, 1992.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Participant in the 2018 National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Institute on Self Knowledge in Eastern and Western Philosophies, College of Charleston, Charleston SC.
President, Johnson County Community College Faculty Association, 2016-present.
Chair, Educational Affairs Committee, Johnson County Community College, 2015-2016.
Member, Educational Affairs Committee, Johnson County Community College, 2013-present.
Chair, Peer Review Council, Johnson County community College, 2010-2013.
Chair, Department of Philosophy and Religion, 2009-present.
Participant in the 2008 National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Seminar on Confucianism and Virtue Ethics, Wesleyan University, Middleton CT.
Facilitator and Johnson County Community College Representative to Core Competencies Committee for the Kansas Board of Regents Core Outcomes Inititative. 2007-2009
Chaired committee for Program Review for Philosophy and Religion programs, 2007.
Co-edited second edition of From Wonder to Wisdom, an introductory philosophy textbook published by Johnson County Community College, 2004
Participant at Summer Infusion Institute, Asian Studies Development Program, Honolulu HW, Summer 2003.
Pre-revision review of Mark Timmons’ Conduct and Character, May 2001
Chaired session on Virtue Ethics and Punishment at 29thConference on Value Inquiry, Oklahoma State University, April 2001
Chaired session on skepticism at Pacific Division Meeting of American Philosophical Association, San Francisco, April 2001
Co-edited Ethics as Philosophy, an anthology of moral philosophy published by Johnson County Community College, 2001.
Co-edited From Wonder to Wisdom, an introductory philosophy textbook published by Johnson County Community College, 2000.
Participated in program review for philosophy at Johnson County Community College, 1999.
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS:
Publication Award, Johnson County Community College, 2023.
Publication Award, Johnson County Community College, 2017.
Distinguished Service Award, Johnson County Community College, 2014.
Publication Award, Johnson County Community College, 2012
Distinguished Service Award, Johnson County Community College, 2009
Recognition of Extra Effort, Johnson Country Community College, Spring 200
First runner-up for the 1996 Outstanding Teaching Associate Award, Spring 1996, University of California Santa Barbara.
Dissertation Fellowship, Fall 1995
University of California, Santa Barbara, Graduate Division
Siff Award for Best Paper Written by a Graduate Student, 1995
University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Philosophy
Paul Wienpahl Award for Excellence in Teaching, 1994
University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Philosophy
Interdisciplinary Humanities Center Pre-doctoral Fellowship, Fall 1994
University of California, Santa Barbara, Interdisciplinary Humanities Center
Continuing Graduate Fellowship, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991
University of California, Santa Barbara, Graduate Division
Nominated for Siff Award for Best Paper Written by a Graduate Student, 1994
University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Philosophy
Nominated for Siff Award for Best Paper Written by a Graduate Student, 1992
University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Philosophy
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Universities:
University of California, Santa Barbara:(1991-1996)
Course: “Existentialism”, an upper division class focusing on major existentialist philosophers, including Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Camus and Sartre. Teaching Associate, responsible for all aspects of course.
Course: “Philosophy and Western Civilization, (Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution)”, an introductory sequence emphasizing the history of philosophy and its ties with other cultural developments in the West. Teaching Associate.
Course: “Philosophy and Western Civilization, (the Enlightenment and Romanticism)”, an introductory sequence emphasizing the history of philosophy and its ties with other cultural developments in the West. Teaching Associate.
Course: “Philosophy and Western Civilization, (Classical Greece through Early Christianity)”, an introductory sequence emphasizing the history of philosophy and its ties with other cultural developments in the West. Teaching Assistant, responsibilities include running discussion sections and grading.
Course: “Philosophy and Western Civilization, (Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution)”, an introductory sequence. emphasizing the history of philosophy and its ties with other cultural developments in the West. Teaching Assistant.
Course: “Philosophy and Western Civilization, (the Enlightenment and Romanticism)”, an introductory sequence emphasizing the history of philosophy and its ties with other cultural developments in the West. Teaching Assistant.
Course: “Ethics”, an introduction to basic ethical theories–Plato, Aristotle, Kant and Mill. Teaching Assistant.
Course: “Critical Thinking”, an introduction to basic logic. Teaching Assistant.
California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo: Lecturer:responsible for all aspects of the course. (1997)
Course: “Philosophical Classics”, a survey course of classic writings in Ethics and Social and Political Philosophy.
Community Colleges:
Johnson County Community College: Professor. (1997-present)
Course: “Introduction to Philosophy”, an introductory survey course covering both major historical figures and contemporary philosophical issues.
Course: “Ethics”, an introductory survey a major ethical theories and topics.
Course: “Business Ethics”, an introduction to ethics as applied to business contexts.
Course: “History of Ancient Philosophy”, a survey of classical Greek and Hellenistic Philosophy.
Course: “History of Modern Philosophy”, a survey of early Modern Philosophy.
Course: “History of Asian Philosophy”, a survey of classical Chinese and Indian Philosophy
Santa Barbara City College: Instructor: responsible for all aspects of the course. (1995-1997)
Course: “Ancient Philosophy”, an introductory course focusing on Greek philosophers from the Pre-Socrates through the Hellenistic period and emphasizing Plato and Aristotle.
Course: “Critical Thinking”, an introduction to informal reasoning and beginning formal logic.
Course: “Contemporary Philosophy”, a survey course of contemporary philosophy focusing on Pragmatism, Early Analytic and Phenomenology and Existentialism.
Allan Hancock College:Instructor: responsible for all aspects of the course. (1995)
Course: “Critical Thinking”, an introduction to informal reasoning and beginning formal logic.