Dr. Andrew Israelsen Professional Writer

Dr. Andrew Israelsen                                                      Curriculum Vitae

Education

Purdue University 2011-2017

Ph.D in Philosophy, August 2017

Dissertation Title: “Kant and the Unity of Nature”

Advisor: Chris Yeomans       

Dissertation Abstract:

In Critique of the Power of Judgment, Kant claims that human beings might be unable to adequately cognize nature because it may well be made up of an infinite diversity of material objects that would be subsumable under no formal principles. Kant thus substantially complicates the project of the Critique of Pure Reason, one chief success of which was the deduction of necessary formal elements to all cognition. In order to address the threat of an infinite diversity of empirical objects and the attendant pessimism that we can bring nature under concepts, Kant posits a new capacity that he calls “reflecting judgment.” I argue that this capacity, exemplified in the two explicit foci of the third Critique (aesthetic and teleological judgments), plays a far more central role in Kant’s philosophy than is often recognized.  It is involved not only in judgments of beauty and purposiveness, but as a sine qua non for empirical knowledge as such.

Loyola Marymount University 2009-2011                                        

M.A. in Philosophy, 2011

Utah Valley University 2004-2009                                                     

B.A. in History, 2009

Areas of Specialization

Kant, Early Modern Philosophy

Areas of Competence

German Idealism, Existentialism, Philosophy of Religion

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles

“And Who is My Neighbor? Kant on Misanthropy and Christian Love.” The Heythrop Journal, 60.2 (February 2019) pp. 219-232

“Imperatives of Right: The Essential Ambiguity in Kant’s Rechtslehre.” International Philosophical Quarterly, 58.3, Issue 231 (September 2018) pp. 311–329

“God, Mixed Modes, and Natural Law: An Intellectualist Interpretation of Locke’s Moral Philosophy.” The British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 21.6: (2013) 1111-1132

Book Reviews

Review of Nuovo, Victor: John Locke: The Philosopher as Christian Virtuoso, for The British Journal for the History of Philosophy, vol. 27.3, 2019

Review of Insole, Christopher: The Intolerable God: Kant’s Theological Journey, for Review of Metaphysics, December 2017

Works in Progress

Kant’s Phenomenology of Thinking (Monograph)

 “Out of Kindness, I Suppose; On Sins of Compassion: A Kantian-Catholic Analysis” 

 “Sublime Scorn, or Kant’s Panegyric to Mersault”

Professional Presentations

Invited Talks     

            Commentator on: “What is Provisional Right?” by Rafeeq Hasan and Martin Stone, at Purdue University, “Dimensions of Normativity: Kant on Morality, Legality, and Humanity,” February 2018. Travel expenses paid

“Imperatives of Right: The Essential Ambiguity in Kant’s Rechtslehre.” Invited participant at Günter Zöller’s Oberseminar/Forschungskolloquium: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, June 12, 2017

“Kant and the Concept of a World: Reflecting Judgment and Systematic Empirical Cognition.”  Invited speaker at Loyola Marymount University, Nov. 7, 2014; all expenses paid

Conference Presentations

“A Digital Agora: Socrates’ Maieutic Method in the Online Classroom.” Online Learning Consortium, “Accelerate Conference,” Sept. 20-24, 2021, online

“Of Plays and Invented Evils: Augustine and Kant on Sympathetic Suffering.” European Studies Conference, University of Nebraska Omaha, October 4-5, 2018

“Is Right Realizable?  Kant’s Rechtslehre and the Ethical Community.” 2016 Central Division APA Meeting, Chicago Illinois, March 2-5, 2016; recipient of graduate student travel stipend

“Is Right Realizable?  Kant’s Rechtslehre and the Ethical Community.”  European Studies Conference, University of Nebraska Omaha, October 8-10th, 2015

 “Leibniz and Malebranche on Divine and Creaturely Causation: A Concurrentist Dilemma.”  Princeton-Penn-Columbia Graduate Conference in the History of Philosophy, Princeton University, April 26, 2014

“Locke’s Essay and the Treatises on Government: Empiricist Ontology and the ‘Right’ of Revolution.” PurdueEarly Atlantic Reading Group, Purdue University, April 11, 2014

“Becoming a New Man: Kant on Radical Evil and Moral Conversion.” United Kingdom Kant Society annual meeting, Heythrop College, London, August 29, 2013

Teaching Experience

American Public University System

-Assistant Professor, 2022-present: : responsible for course creation, facilitating online -learning, instruction, grading, and administration.

-Full-Time Instructor, 2020-2021

-Part-Time Instructor, 2018-2019

Courses created:

-Philosophy of Law (Phil 330)

-Metaphysics and Epistemology (Phil 405)

-Early Modern Philosophy (Phil 215)

Courses taught:

-Philosophy of Science (Phil 202)

-Intro to Philosophy (Phil 101)

-Environmental Ethics (Phil 320)

-Ethics (Phil 200)

-Critical Thinking (Phil 110)

Utah Valley University

Adjunct Instructor, 2017-present: sole responsibility for course creation, instruction, grading, and administration

Courses (created and taught)

 -Kant’s Third Critique (400R)

-History of Continental Philosophy (Phil 4150)

-Early Modern Philosophy (Phil 2150)

-Ethics and Values (Phil 2050) 

 -Ethics and Values Hybrid Lecture/Online Course(Phil 2050 Hybrid)

 -Ethics and Values from a Global Perspective (Phil 205G) 

-Introduction to Philosophy (Phil 1000) 

Salt Lake Community College

Adjunct Instructor 2016-19: partial responsibility for course creation; sole responsibility for instruction, grading, and administration

 -Introduction to Philosophy (Phil 1000) 

 -Ethics and Moral Problems (Phil 1120)

Purdue University

Graduate Instructor 2012-16: sole responsibility for course creation, instruction, text selection, grading, and administration

Courses (created and taught)

-Introduction to Philosophy (Phil 110) 

-Ethics (Phil 111) 

-Introduction to Existentialism (Phil 219)

-Philosophy of Woman (Phil 221) 

-Religions of the West (Phil 331) 

Teaching Assistant 2011-12: responsible for weekly recitation sections and grading

-Ethics (Phil 111) TA for Dr. Patrick Kain

-Introduction to Philosophy (Phil 110) TA for Dr. Daniel Kelly

Ivy Tech Community College 

Adjunct Instructor 2013-15: sole responsibility for course creation, instruction, grading and administration

- Introduction to Ethics (Phil 102)

Loyola Marymount University

Graduate Teaching Fellow: Responsibility for most aspects of course creation, sole responsibility for instruction, grading and administration                                         

-Critical Thinking (Phil 220)

Other Work Experience

All Filters, LLC: Marketing Director, August 2023-October 2024

Responsibilities:

-Create marketing materials, including print and digital media, YouTube videos, brochures, and email campaigns

-Learn all about water filtration technology and products, and serve as technical expert/advisor for the company

-Create, implement, and oversee a training program for all existing and new employees covering water filtration science and water filtration technology, including weekly training meetings, pre-recorded PowerPoint presentations, oral and written quizzes, and grading rubrics

-Generate new customer leads using ZoomInfo and other resources; create lead lists for salespeople

-Interview new potential employees and advise the CEO on hiring decisions

-Film video content, edit videos using Premiere Pro, and create video ads

-Record audio narration for video projects, and edit audio using Reaper Digital Audio Workstation

-Write several dozen SEO articles on a variety of water filtration topics

-Travel to WQA (Water Quality Association) conventions around the country, present our products, and network with other professionals

-Create product manuals, product descriptions for Amazon, as well as helping to create ads and products images for display on Amazon and the company website

-Take occasional customer or installer calls, and help troubleshoot advanced installation issues

Factretriever.com: Assistant Writer, August 2016-August 2023 (freelance)

Responsibilities:

-Wrote over 100 articles on a wide variety of topics

-Articles consist of short facts on a given topic, only utilizing high quality sources

Graduate Coursework

Purdue University

Michael Jacovides                             Locke

Chris Yeomans                                 Phenomenology

Daniel Smith                                     Philosophy of Nature

Patricia Curd                                     Aristotle

Patricia Curd                                     Presocratics (audit)

Mark Bernstein

& Mattias Steup                                Contemporary Free Will Debate

Chris Yeomans                                  German Idealist Political Philosophy

Chris Yeomans                                  Hegel’s Encyclopedia Logic (Reading Group)

Jan Cover                                          Descartes and Malebranche

Ted Ulrich                                          Metalogic

Daniel Smith

& Daniel Kelly                                     Philosophy of Psychiatry

Patrick Kain                                        Kant’s Philosophy of Religion

Jaqueline Mariña                                  Kant’s First Critique (audit)

Evan Williams                                     Consequentialist Ethics

Jan Cover                                            Leibniz’s Metaphysics

Loyola Marymount University

James Hanink                                  Social and Political Philosophy

Eric Perl                                          Plato

Scott Cameron                                 Hermeneutics

Shannon Nason                                Kant

V. Martin Nemoianu                          Pascal

Elizabeth Murray                              Kierkegaard

Mark Morelli                                     Hegel

Mary Beth Ingham                            Freedom and Divine Foreknowledge

Gretchen Gusich                              Husserl

V. Martin Nemoianu                          Spinoza

Fellowships, Grants, and Awards

2022: The Influence of Instructor-Generated Video Content on the Quality of Assignments Completed in Asynchronous Online Philosophy Classes

2017: William L. McBride Graduate Student International Travel Grant Recipient ($1,000) for travel to Günter Zöller’s Oberseminar/Forschungskolloquium: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

2016-17: “Purdue Research Foundation” Grant ($17,215) for work on dissertation project: “Kant and the Unity of Nature” with Chris Yeomans

2016: Purdue Philosophy Department “Graduate Teaching Fellow of the Year” Award, 2015-16; $250 award

2011-16: Five Year Doctoral Teaching Fellowship and Tuition Remission: Purdue University

2011:  Loyola Marymount “Teaching Fellow of the Year” award, 2010-11

2011:  Loyola Marymount Rains Assistantship: grant received for work on a joint research project with Dr. V. Martin Nemoianu on Blaise Pascal and Joris-Karl Huysmans. 

2010:  Sole Recipient of LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts “Graduate Research Assistantship for Summer” ($4,000) for research project: “The Question of Contingency in Theistic and Atheistic Existentialism” with Dr. V. Martin Nemoianu

2009-11: Partial Tuition Remission and teaching stipend for 2009-2011, Loyola Marymount University

Professional Service

-Organizer and Presenter at APUS “World Philosophy Day” student recruitment conference 2021/22

-Member of APUS University Assessment Committee, 2021-22

-Peer Reviewer for Locke Studies journal

-Editor of Sapientia, the Purdue University Philosophy Department Annual Newsletter, 2013-2017

-Editorial Assistant for Claritas: Journal of Dialogue and Culture, Dec 2015-Aug 2017

-Ethics Instructor in the ASAP Program at Ivy Tech Community College, a one-year Associate’s degree program for first generation college students

-Graduate Representative, Purdue University Philosophy Department, 2013-14: responsible for organizing graduate student symposia, assisting in organizing Department Colloquia, liaison between faculty and graduate students

-Member of the Advisory Board for International graduate student philosophical reading and review group ‘The Bibliographia’ (www.theBibliographia.org)

-Guest Lecturer at Purdue Undergraduate Philosophy Club

Professional Associations

-American Catholic Philosophical Association

-North American Kant Society

-American Philosophical Association

Professional References

Steve Wyre, American Public University System

Phone: 706-450-3518

Email: swyre@apus.edu

Chris Yeomans, Purdue University

Phone: (765) 494-4275

Email: cyeomans@purdue.edu

Christopher Insole, Durham University

Phone: +44 (0) 191 33 43939

Email: christopher.insole@durham.ac.uk

Patrick Kain, Purdue University

Phone: (765) 494-4286

Email: kain@purdue.edu 

V. Martin Nemoianu, Loyola Marymount University

Phone: 310-338-7347

Email: Martin.Nemoianu@lmu.edu