Research 

Below I provide a narrative of my research, breaking it down into areas. Some of the articles can be accessed here, versions of others can be accessed at https://philpapers.org/s/Nicholas%20Baima. If there is something you would like to read but don't have access to, email me at NichBaima [at] Gmail [dot] com. 


I. Plato's Ethics of Belief 

The main focus of my research has been on the relationship between Plato's ethics and epistemology, and more specifically on the ways in which epistemic vice, ignorance, and falsehood can make one's life go better.

 

We argue that, for Plato, ethical norms can conflict with epistemic norms, and when they conflict, we ought to prioritize the former over the latter. We defend this claim in three ways. First, we argue that falsehood plays a central role in one's ethical education. Examples of this would include things like the Noble Lie of the Republic and some of the preludes in the Laws. We explain how these falsehoods help shape one's value by developing a Platonic conception of ethical commitment. Second, we argue that defective forms of reasoning are sometimes necessary in order to be virtuous and to practice philosophy. Examples of this would include things like Socrates' attitude towards death in the Phaedo and his solution to Meno's paradox. Finally, we argue that all humans--including philosophers--benefit from these epistemic vices and falsehoods. Indeed, this is one of the ways we are distinguished from the gods. In the words of my mother, "The book looks nice." 

Table of Contents:

    Prelude

PART I: Virtue, Veracity, and Noble Lies

1 Beneficial Falsehoods in the Republic: The Priority of the Practical 

2 Ethical Commitments and Persuasion in the Laws 

3 The Ring of Gyges and the Nature of Ethical Commitments 67

PART II: Courage, Caution, and Faith 

4 Charming Away the Fear of Death in the Phaedo 91

5 Better, Braver, and Less Idle: Faith and Inquiry in the Meno 110

6 Absurdity and Speciousness in the Protagoras and the Euthydemus 132

PART III: Commoners, Rulers, and Gods 

7 Philosophers, Soul Parts, and False Beliefs in the Republic 157

8 Truthful Gods and the Limits of Divine Assimilation 

Coda 

Articles that the book was developed from.


Other works related to topic:

I argue that Socrates' arguments against Callicles come up short: Though Socrates convincingly shows that reckless greed and hedonism are incompatible with a good life, he doesn't show that it is always better to be just than unjust nor does he show that the just life is blessed. What Socrates can't complete via argument, he completes via myth. However, I argue that the myth is only plausible to the Socratically-minded--it can do little to persuade individuals like Callicles.



II. Plato's Ethical Thought 


In attempting to show that injustice and greed (pleonexia) is bad, Socrates says that craft-experts don't overreach, or outdo, other craft-experts, thus injustice and greed are unlike craft-expertise. On the face of it, this seems obviously wrong, athletes, musicians, and cobblers (I guess) try to defeat each other, or at least do better than others. However, I think that there is another way to understand the argument. If we understand it in a somewhat Kantian way, it makes good sense: all craft-experts qua craft-experts must respect the rules, values, and limits of their craft, and it is in this sense that they don't overreach each other. Since injustice and greed are defined by not respecting limits, they cannot be craft-like. For an abbreviated version of my argument, see: https://euppublishingblog.com/2020/04/08/the-wisdom-of-greed/ 


Plato argues that courage involves resisting pain and pleasure. Most ethicists, including Plato's student Aristotle, hold that fear and pain apply to courage, but desire and pleasure apply to moderation. In this paper, I examine both the philosophical and rhetorical reasons for thinking that courage is not only about fear and pain but also pleasure and desire. I argue Plato's expansive view of courage is well-motivated. 


I argue that Plato implicitly adopts two conceptions of shame. One conception is what we feel when we are with the general public, and this conception is more closely connected to our rational faculties. The other is what we privately feel, and it is more closely connected to the non-rational faculties. The political upshot of this is that, though public shaming and honoring might keep some public decorum, the effects are limited since these practices might not alter what one feels and thinks. The ethical upshot of this is that the non-rational self is fundamental to who one is; indeed, it might even be said to reflect one's true identity more than the rational self. In many ways, while sober and rationally-minded, we remain strangers not only to others but also to ourselves. 


Using Plato's discussion of intoxication in the Laws and the Republic, I examine the role of non-rational and anti-rational desires in ethical education. I argue that in the Laws, unlike the Republic, anti-rational desires can play an instrumental role in developing virtue. Developing virtue requires directing violent, erratic emotions towards what is positive. 


III. Applying Ancient Thought to Contemporary Issues


If you enjoy video games as a pastime, you are certainly not alone—billions of people worldwide now play video games. However, you may still find yourself reluctant to tell others this fact about yourself.  After all, we are routinely warned that video games have the potential to cause addiction and violence. And when we aren’t being warned of their outright harms, we are told we should be doing something better with our time, like going outside, socializing with others, or reading a book. Playing video games is thus often seen at best as a waste of time, and at worst a source of violent tragedy.

Why It’s OK to be a Gamer takes on the pervasive assumption that playing video games is a childish and time-wasting hobby, and a potentially addictive and dangerous one at that. It argues instead that there are many ways in which gaming can help us flourish, for example by: developing genuine friendships and other meaningful relationships with others, helping us cultivate a virtuous personal character, giving us a unique aesthetic experience, providing us with psychological benefits, and just plain helping us relax and enjoy ourselves. Video games are not just for those with no life; on the contrary, they can help contribute to a rich and meaningful life.


Transhumanism is the view that we should aspire to transcend the confines of human nature--to live longer, be less irrational, less sick, etc. Many transhumanists find elements of their view in ancient philosophy. In this paper, we examine this connection and argue that there are indeed similarities between transhumanism and Plato, Aristotle, and Neo-Platonists.


Is MMA a martial art, a sport, or a spectacle? We use an interpretation of Socrates' knack/craft distinction in the Gorgias as a way to make progress towards answering this question. We argue that MMA has some martial craft elements: for instance, it has played an important epistemic role in the development of martial arts (we learned what martial arts techniques and training modalities are effective under the stress of live combat). But it also has some knack elements: certain rules motivated by aesthetic reasons (grounded opponents are stood up to prevent boredom). 


IV. Contemporary Ethics

Book explores the ethics of video games through the lens of virtue theory. More information coming soon!



Scientific information plays an important role in shaping policies and recommendations for behaviors that are meant to improve the overall health and well-being of the public. However, a subset of the population does not trust information from scientific authorities, and, even for those that do trust it, information alone is often not enough to motivate action. Feelings of shame can be motivational, and thus some recent public policies have attempted to leverage shame to motivate the public to act in accordance with science-based recommendations. We argue that the context in which these shame-invoking policies and recommendations are employed is both practically and morally problematic: shame is unlikely to be effective at motivating the public to behave in accordance with science-based policy, and shaming citizens is an unethical way to get them to comply. We further argue that shame-based policies are likely to contribute to further distrust in scientific authority.



In some cases, hormone replacement therapy (HPT) is a viable treatment for athletes who have suffered mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). In combat sports, MTBI isn't uncommon nor is the use of banned performance-enhancing substances. This article examines the science and the ethical implications of athletes using substances for performance-enhancing purposes which may also have therapeutic benefits.


Non-cognitivist expressivism is the metaethical view that there aren't moral facts, at least not in the same way that there are scientific facts; rather, morality should be understood as a linguistic practice that expresses our desires. Since ethical facts are not fundamental features of the world, it might be thought that expressivists could explain ethical vagueness, but I argue that this is not the case. Modeling vagueness requires more logical structure than expressivism can supply. The fact that expressivism cannot account for ethical vagueness is a mark against it since ethical vagueness exists--for instance, in the "take a penny/leave a penny jar," there is an indeterminate amount of pennies that it is acceptable to take. 


V. Other