Combat Their Negative Tendencies: Free Will, Anger, and Aggression

In this episode, to start off the semester, Ryan and Chuck talk with Philosopher, Dr. Christopher Martin about what determinism is, how it is different from free will, and much more.

Episode Guest: Dr. Christopher Martin

christopher-martinDr. Christopher Martin teaches a wide range of classes, but particularly enjoys courses helping students to ask and investigate deep questions about the nature of reality, identity, free will, and science. He specializes in the ‘rationalist’ perspective in early-modern philosophy (roughly, philosophy between 1650-1770 or so). He is currently working on an account of the reality of particulars (things like you and I) in Spinoza (an early modern rationalist). In addition to courses and work in early modern rationalism, he enjoys exploring the intersection of morality and the environment–the central topic of his Environmental Ethics course. When he is not hard at work on philosophy or helping students sharpen their rational capacities, he is likely enjoying traveling and the outdoors. He loves to combine the two and especially enjoys kayaking.