Brian C. Barnett joined the Geneseo faculty in 2018. He received his B.S. in Mathematics and B.A. in Philosophy (summa cum laude) from the University of Oklahoma, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. His primary teaching and research interests include epistemology, logic, the philosophy of nonviolence, ethics, and Eastern philosophy. In 2023 he was awarded the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. He currently serves on the McNair Advisory Board and as editor of the Peace & Nonviolence category on PhilPapers.org. Outside of academia, he enjoys waterfall hiking, nature photography, pilgrimages to historic sites, and live music.
Office Hours, Fall 2024
M/W 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
B.S., Mathematics, University of Oklahoma (2007)
B.A., Philosophy, University of Oklahoma (2007)
M.A., Philosophy, University of Rochester (2011)
Ph.D., Philosophy, University of Rochester (2016)
Affiliations
American Philosophical Association
Concerned Philosophers for Peace
McNair Scholars Program
Publications
Introduction to Philosophy: Epistemology, ed., Rebus Press (2021). https://press.rebus.community/intro-to-phil-epistemology/.
“The Analysis of Knowledge," in Introduction to Philosophy: Epistemology, ed. Brian C. Barnett, Rebus Press (2021), 2-19. https://press.rebus.community/intro-to-phil-epistemology/chapter/the-an….
“What Is Epistemology?" in Introduction to Philosophy: Epistemology, ed. Brian C. Barnett, Rebus Press (2021), xix-xxiii. https://press.rebus.community/intro-to-phil-epistemology/chapter/the-an….
Review of Monotheism and the Meaning of Life by T. J. Mawson, Religious Studies Review 46, 2 (June 2020), 215.
“Higher-Order Defeat in Realist Moral Epistemology,” in Higher-Order Evidence and Moral Epistemology, ed. Michael Klenk, Routledge (2020), 117–35.
Select Honors & Awards
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching, 2022-23
Dr. David Kuebel Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award, St. John Fisher University, 2021-22
Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher of the Year Award, University of Rochester, 2009–10
Certifications
Mental Health First Aid Certified
Safe Zone Certified
Advancing Cultural Competency Certificate
Teaching & Research Interests
Epistemology
Logic & Probability
Eastern Philosophy
Philosophy of Nonviolence
Ethics
Classes
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PHIL 111: Introduction to Logic
An introduction to deductive logic, including propositional and predicate logic, Aristotelian logic, problems of definition, informal fallacies, and the elements of linguistic analysis.
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PHIL 357: Philosophy of Mind
We will examine a range of issues concerning the nature of mind, consciousness, and self. What is a mind? What is the relationship between mind and body? What is consciousness? Can conscious events ever be completely analyzed in objective terms, or are they irreducibly subjective? What is the relationship between a self or person and a mind or consciousness? Can a person stay the same over time while the contents of his mind change radically? What makes a mind or person one thing rather than many? Is it possible for one mind or person to overlap with another, or are we essentially separate from one another? Is there any reasonable concept of personal survival after death?