Chad Wiener, PhD
Courses
First Year Seminar
Introduction to Philosophy
Ethics and Society
Ethics, Medicine, and Health Care
Philosophy of Law
Environmental Ethics
Research Interests
My primary research interests are about method and metaphysics in ancient Greek philosophy, especially Plato and Aristotle. My focus on Plato concerns how different methods he discusses and employs in his dialogues can be understood as a unified way to approach philosophy. I am currently writing on Plato's Meno. My research on Aristotle arises out my dissertation. I am interested in Aristotle's use of unity as a regulative principle to organize facts and grasp knowledge in his biological works. I am currently writing on Metaphysics Zeta and the organization of History of Animals by means of hierarchically arranged natural kinds.
Teaching Interests
I primarily teach ethics courses at Pacific, but I enjoy teaching a wide range of courses. With every course, I hope to engage the students directly in doing philosophy and thinking through important issues related to the class. I believe that philosophy should be relevant both to daily life and understanding the world around us. I follow the footsteps of Plato and Aristotle that philosophy begins in wonder that leads to careful and clear thinking.
Education
PhD, Philosophy, University of Georgia, 2008
MA, Social Science, University of Chicago, 1999
BA, History, Philosophy, University of Georgia, 1997
Publications
“Methodology in Socrates’ Examination of the Slave” Dialogue," Canadian Philosophical Review, Vol. 50 (special issue 3): 443-467 (2011).
“Review of Allan Gotthelf, Teleology, First Principles, and Scientific Method in Aristotle’s Biology,” Philosophy in Review 33 (5): 371-373 (2013).