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James Lindemann Nelson
James Lindemann Nelson
E-mail: jlnelson@msu.edu
Professor Nelson works primarily in bioethics, but is interested in a number of areas — particularly moral theory (concentrating currently on the realism/antirealism controversy) and the more speculative reaches of the philosophy of language. He attempts to bring to bioethical questions resources from areas of philosophy that the current discussion tends to overlook. This has been rewarding in thinking through questions in reproductive ethics, pondering the just allocation of medical resources, and considering moral issues involved in caring for demented people. He is also interested in philosophical issues that arise from thinking about intimate relationships — particularly families and family-like contexts.
Professor Nelson's personal web page: http://www.msu.edu/user/jlnelson/
Classes
PHL 344:Ethical Issues in Health Care
Section 2 SS10
The first half of the class will be devoted to a survey of the most prominent moral issues sparked by contemporary health care practice and policy, and by the life sciences, with critical attention to the most common philosophical methods used to inform and improve thinking about such problems. The second half will focus on an in-depth treatment of a particular issue, to be chosen from a list that includes justice and health care reform, organ transplantation ethics, and human enhancement.PHL 360:Philosophy of Language
Section 1 SS10
An introductory survey of outstanding problems in this central subfield of philosophy: theories of reference, meaning, metaphor, and methodology. The chief text is William Lycan, Philosophy of Language: A Contemporary Introduction (2nd ed.). Frequent short writing assignments, mid-term exam, final paper.
PHL 200:Introduction to Philosophy
Section 1 FS09
We’ll read Plato, Rene Descartes, David Hume, and a diverse group of contemporary thinkers as we work to sharpen our ability to think well about questions that are hard to think well about. A good deal of discussion-based work, frequent quizzes, regular short writing assignments, a final group exercise.
PHL 800:Proseminar
Section 1 FS09
A seminar for first semester graduate students focusing on features of method characteristic of advanced research in contemporary philosophy. The reading list is not yet set, but almost surely will contain significant bits of Wittgenstein.