Jason Zinser
Assistant Professor
Education
Ph.D. – Philosophy, Florida State University
M.A. – Philosophy, Texas A&M University
B.A. – Philosophy and Psychology, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
Biography
Jason Zinser received his B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology
from UWSP, a M.A. in Philosophy from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in
Philosophy from Florida State University.
He previously taught at the University of North Florida and at the
University of Wisconsin Colleges. His
research interests center on issues in the history and philosophy of biology
and in environmental ethics. Although he
misses the beaches and food of the Gulf Coast, he is very happy to have returned
home to the woods and farms of Central Wisconsin.
Select Publications
“Meme.” (2009)
In M. Ruse and J. Travis (eds.) Evolution:
The First Four Billion Years. Harvard University Press.
“Chance and Evolution.” (2009)
In M. Ruse and J. Travis (eds.) Evolution:
The First Four Billion Years. Harvard University Press.
“Altruism.”
(2009) In M. Ruse and J. Travis
(eds.) Evolution: The First Four Billion
Years. Harvard University Press
“The Good, the Bad, and the Daily
Show.” (2007) In J. Holt (ed.) The Daily Show and Philosophy, Blackwell; 41-53
Reprinted in “They Say, I Say”: The Moves that Matter in
Academic Writing (Second Edition).
(2011) Edited by Graft,
Birkenstein and Durst. W.W. Norton and
Co.
“The Public’s Role in Science
Policy.” (2005) The American Journal of Bioethics, vol. 5, no. 6; 58-60
“Prolegomena Toward Any Future
Artificial Moral Agent.” (2000) With Colin Allen and Gary Varner. Journal
of Experimental and Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, 12: 251-261
Conference
Presentations
“Hypothetical Biological Spaces
and Genetic Accessibility.”
International Society for History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences of
Biology. Montreal, Canada; Summer 2015
“Modality, Mousetraps and
Miracles: Evolution and Genomic Accessibility.”
Indiana Philosophical Association.
Indianapolis, IN; Spring 2014
“Environmental Crises and the
Evolved Mind.” International Society of
History, Philosophy and Social Sciences of Biology. Montpellier, France; Summer 2013
“Innate Dispositions and Moral
Decisions.” Integrating Development and
Climate Change Ethics Conference, Penn State Rock Ethics Institute. State Collage, PA; Spring 2010
“Are we Ecological
Sociopaths?” Mississippi Philosophical
Association. Starkville, MS; Spring 2010
“It’s Not Easy Being Green.” Stevens Institute of Technology. Hoboken, NJ;
Spring 2009
““Modality and Biology.” University of Colorado Conference on Modality
and Science. Boulder, CO; Fall 2007
“Naturalizing Irreducible
Complexity.” International Society of
History, Philosophy and Social Science of Biology. Exeter, England; Summer 2007
“Chance as a Modal Concept.” Duke University Conference in the Philosophy
of Biology: Chance in Evolution. Spring
2007
“What is Biologically Possible?”
Philosophy of Science Association.
Vancouver, Canada; Fall 2006
“Modal Concepts in the Biological
Sciences.” British Society for the
Philosophy of Science. Canterbury,
England; Summer 2004
“Biological Possibilities.” International Society of History, Philosophy
and Social Science of Biology. Vienna,
Austria; Summer 2003