Scott Sehon
Professor of Philosophy
Fall 2008
- Philosophy of Religion (PHIL 142)
- Logic (PHIL 223)
| Phone | (207) 725-3753 |
| Title | Professor |
| Department | PHILOSOPHY |
| Work Location | 104 Edward Pols House |
| ssehon@bowdoin.edu |
Research Interests
Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Language
Education
A.B.(Harvard), Ph.D.(Princeton)
Publications
Book
Teleological Realism: Mind, Agency, and Explanation
2005. MIT Press.
Articles
Review of Rationality and the Good: Critical Essays on the Ethics and Epistemology of Robert Audi Mark Timmons, John Greco, Alfred R. Mele (eds.) Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, March 16, 2008.
“Goal-Directed Action and Teleological Explanation,” in Causation and Explanation, Joseph Keim Campbell, Michael O’Rourke, and Harry Silverstein, eds. MIT Press. (2007)
"A Philosophical Analysis of the Evidence-Based Medicine Debate",BMC Health Services Research 2003, 3:14. Co-authored with Donald E. Stanley. Also translated into Chinese and appearing as a two part article in Medicine and Philosophy,25:2(2004): 21-24 and 25:3(2004):30-33.
"An Argument Against the Causal Theory of Action Explanation,"Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 60:1(2000):67-85.
"Connectionism and the Causal Theory of Action Explanation," Philosophical Psychology, 11:4(1998): 511-531.
"Natural-Kind Terms and the Status of Folk Psychology," American Philosophical Quarterly, 34:3(1997): 333-344.
"Deviant Causal Chains and the Irreducibility of Teleological Explanation," Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, 78:2 (1997): 195-213.
"Okin on Feminism and Rawls,” The Philosophical Forum, 27 (1996): 321-332.
“Teleology and the Nature of Mental States,” American Philosophical Quarterly, 31 (1994): 63-72.
Other Publications
“Judging who’s fit to be tied” (op-ed on gay marriage), Brunswick Times Record, June 6, 2008.
“Using Credit/D/F to fulfill requirements defies the aim of a liberal arts education,” Bowdoin Orient, November 2, 2007
“Changes to J-Board Unnecessary,” Bowdoin Orient, February 16, 2007.
"Filibuster Tactic Smacks of Hypocrisy," (
PDF) Op-ed piece in Portland Press Herald, April 25, 2005.
"Tax Cap Proponents' Suggestion Would Create Free-Loaders," Op-ed piece in Brunswick Times Record,October 8, 2004.
"Arguments Against Gay Marriage Don't Hold Up," Op-ed piece in Brunswick Times Record, February 27, 2004.
“Supports the Troops; Not Bush Decisions,” Op-ed piece in Brunswick Times Record, March 28, 2003.
“There is no ban on school prayer,” Op-ed piece in Brunswick Times Record, September, 2001.
“Immorality of homosexuality based on Bible is challenged,” Op-ed piece in Brunswick Times Record, September 29, 2000.
Review of A Most Unlikely God: A Philosophical Enquiry into the Nature of God, by Barry Miller, Philosophy in Review, 18:2 (1998): 129-131.
“Homosexuality Is Not Immoral, Despite Scriptural Prohibition,” Op-ed piece in Portland Press Herald, June 27, 1997. Also reprinted in the Binghamton, NY Press & Sun Bulletin, August 14, 1997.
Review of Logical Learning Theory: A Human Teleology and Its Empirical Support, by Joseph F. Rychlak, The Philosophical Quarterly, 46 (1996): 246-248.
Review of Subjectivity and Reduction by Barbara Hannan, Canadian Philosophical Reviews, 15 (1995): 250-252.
Recent Talks
"Précis of Teleological Realism" and "Reply to O’Connor, Stoutland, and Harman"; March 21, 2008, Author-meets-critics book session at the American Philosophical Association Meetings, Pacific Division.
"Action Explanation and the Free Will Debate," invited talk at Auburn University, September 11, 2006; other versions delivered at the Northern New England Philosophical Association Conference, October 27, 2006, and as an invited talk at the University of New Mexico, March 23, 2007.
"The Problem of Evil and Moral Paralysis," Presented at The Christian Worldview: Analysis, Assessment & Development A Conference in Honor of Keith Yandell. September 17, 2005, Madison, WI.
"Truth and Relativism," (PDF) Convocation Address at Bowdoin College, August 31, 2005.
"The Problem of Evil and the Existence of God," Bowdoin College, March 9, 2004.
“Goal-Directed Action and Teleological Explanation,” invited talk, Inland Northwest Philosophy Conference on Explanation and Causation. May 3, 2003. Also delivered on April 26, 2003 at the Maine Philosophical Institute.
“Non-motivating Reasons for Action,” American Philosophical Association meetings, Pacific Division, March 27, 2003.