Exotic Journeys: A Tourist's Guide to Philosophy
brought to you by Ron Yezzi
Emeritus Professor of Philosophy
Minnesota State University, Mankato
© Copyright 2015, 2020 by Ron Yezzi
Ron Yezzi
Emeritus Professor
Department of Philosophy
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota 56001
e-mail: yezzi@mnsu.edu
S.B., physics, University of Chicago, 1960
M.A., philosophy, Southern Illinois University, 1963
Ph. D., philosophy, Southern Illinois University, 1968
Master's Thesis: Modality in Wittgenstein's Tractatus
Doctoral Dissertation: The Application of Mathematics to Concepts in Physics: Four Theories (A Study of Aristotle, Newton, Einstein, and Whitehead)
Instructor in Philosophy, University of Tennessee, 1965-1966
Assistant Professor in Philosophy, University of Tennessee, 1966-1969
Assistant Professor in Philosophy, Mankato State University, 1969-1971
Associate Professor in Philosophy, Mankato State University, 1971-1979
Professor of Philosophy, Mankato State University, 1979-2002
Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Minnesota State University, Mankato, 2002-
Consultant for the Minnesota Humanities Commission, 1977-1979
Member of Business Ethics Endowment Committee, Philosophy Dept., MSU, 1990 to 2002
Member of Ethics Committee, Lake Shore Inn Nursing Home, Waseca, MN, 1993 to present
Member of Institutional Review Board, Mankato State University, 1994 to 1999
Social and political philosophy, ethics, business ethics, medical ethics, logic, philosophy of science, history of western philosophy, American philosophy, philosophy of history
Medical Ethics: Thinking About Unavoidable Questions, (New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1980)
______, Japanese Edition (Tokyo: Igaku-Shoin/Saunders, Ltd., 1985)
Directing Human Actions: Perspectives on Basic Ethical Issues (Lanham: University Press of America, 1986)
"Prescribing Drugs for the Aging and Dying," in James M. Humber and Robert F. Almeder, eds., Biomedical Ethics Reviews 1987 (Clifton: The Humana Press, 1987)
"Review of Steven Cahn's Philosophical Explorations: Freedom, God, and Goodness," Teaching Philosophy 13: 2 June 1990
"Theocratic Conservatism," in Chandana Chakrabarti and Sandra Jane Fairbanks, eds., Politics, Pluralism, and Religion (Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Newcastle upon Tyne, 2010)
A Primer of Practical Logic (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1989)
William James: Selected Writings, edited with an Introduction and Study Guides by Ron Yezzi, (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1991)
Practical Logic (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1992), second edition of A Primer of Practical Logic
Practical Ethics (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1993)
Philosophical Problems: God, Free Will, and Determinism (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1993)
Philosophical Problems: The Good Life (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1994)
Local Publications
"Making Universities Relevant," Sophia 7:1, Winter, 1971
"Is It Ethical to Risk the Total Destruction of Humanity," Gathering Post, May, 1982
Ron YezziDepartment of PhilosophyMinnesota State University, MankatoMankato, Minnesota 56001e-mail: yezzi@mnsu.edu
S.B., physics, University of Chicago, 1960
M.A., philosophy, Southern Illinois University, 1963
Ph. D., philosophy, Southern Illinois University, 1968
Master's Thesis: Modality in Wittgenstein's Tractatus
Doctoral Dissertation: The Application of Mathematics to Concepts in Physics: Four Theories (A Study of Aristotle, Newton, Einstein, and Whitehead)
Philosophy Faculty Members at SIU who assisted me in one way or another: Main Mentor: George Kimball Plochmann; Chairperson: Willis Moore; Director of Graduate Studies: Louis Hahn; George Axtelle, Luis Baralt, James Diefenbeck, Elizabeth Ramsden Eames, S. Morris Eames, William Henry Harris, Don Ihde, Burton Levy, Wayne Leys, George McClure, Henry Nelson Wieman
Instructor in Philosophy, University of Tennessee, 1965-1966
Assistant Professor in Philosophy, University of Tennessee, 1966-1969
Assistant Professor in Philosophy, Mankato State University, 1969-1971
Associate Professor in Philosophy, Mankato State University, 1971-1979
Professor of Philosophy, Minnesota State University, Mankato 1979-2002
Adjunct Philosopher, Minnesota State University, Mankato 2004-2010
Adjunct Philosopher, Gustavus Adolphus College, 2008-2010
Philosophy Colleagues at the University of Tennessee: John Davis (4 years), Rem Edwards (2 years), Glenn Graber (2 years), Pete Gunter (4 years), Phil Hamlin (4 years), Robert S. Hartman (2 years), Michael Hodges (2 years), Don Morano (3 years), Merritt Moore (3 years), Martha Lee Osborne (4 years), Bob Pannier (2 years), Dwight Van de Vate (3 years)
Philosophy Colleagues at Mankato State University: Catherine Bailey (5 years), Mark Drost (1 year), Jan Garrett (1 year), Bob Hollinger (1 year), John Humphrey (12 years), Jack Lawson (17 years), Dick Liebendorfer (12 years), Jean Paul (15 years), Pat Rardin (2 years), Bob Rikkers (20 years), Tim Taylor (3 years), Hal Walberg (30+ years), Bob Wallace (20+ years), David White (2 years)
Sometime Participation in Interdisciplinary Studies: environmental studies core course, peace studies core course, honors program seminars, humanities program
Consultant for the Minnesota Humanities Commission, 1977-1979
Member of Business Ethics Endowment Committee, Philosophy Dept., MSU, 1990 to 2002
Member of MSU Admissions Policy Committee (1991-1992 Academic Year)
Member of Ethics Committee, Lake Shore Inn Nursing Home, Waseca, MN, 1993 to 2002
Member of Institutional Review Board, Mankato State University, 1994 to 1999
Social and political philosophy, ethics, business ethics, medical ethics, logic, philosophy of science, history of western philosophy, American philosophy, philosophy of history
Postmodernism, phenomenology, eastern thought, analytic philosophy, aesthetics
Medical Ethics: Thinking About Unavoidable Questions, (New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1980)
______, Japanese Edition (Tokyo: Igaku-Shoin/Saunders, Ltd., 1985)
(An elementary medical ethics textbook that tries to lay out issues and positions in a clear, straightforward way so students are quickly able to get to discussion and evaluation. Issues: abortion, sterilization, genetic control, allocation of scarce medical resources, death and dying, experiments on human beings and behavior control, patient relatationships, health care delivery)
Directing Human Actions: Perspectives on Basic Ethical Issues (Lanham: University Press of America, 1986)
(An elementary ethics text that lays out classical and contemporary positions with respect to the good life, human nature, individuals and society, free will and moral responsibility, knowing the good life. )
"Prescribing Drugs for the Aging and Dying," in James M. Humber and Robert F. Almeder, eds., Biomedical Ethics Reviews 1987 (Clifton: The Humana Press, 1987)
(An article that tries to resolve problems related to drugs for the aging and dying by applying five principles based upon autonomy, avoidance of harm, sanctity of life, acceptance of death, and others' interests.)
"Review of Steven Cahn's Philosophical Explorations: Freedom, God, and Goodness," Teaching Philosophy 13: 2 June 1990
"Theocratic Conservatism," in Chandana Chakrabarti and Sandra Jane Fairbanks, eds., Politics, Pluralism, and Religion (Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Newcastle upon Tyne, 2010)
A Primer of Practical Logic (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1989)
William James: Selected Writings, edited with an Introduction and Study Guides by Ron Yezzi, (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1991)
(Selections: The Present Dilemma in Philosophy, What Pragmatism Means, Does Consciousness Exist?, The Will to Believe, Is Life Worth Living?, The Dilemma of Determinism, and The Moral Equivalent of War)
Practical Logic (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1992), second edition of A Primer of Practical Logic
(An elementary logic text with several innovations: use of assumptions that establish validity for standard inductive arguments, an expanded treatment of soundness as "the practical reliability of arguments," a schema for logical analysis of positions taken in ordinary language, application of the schema to letters to the editor on various topics)
Practical Ethics (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1993)
(An elementary ethics text laid out somewhat like a logic text--with solutions to selected exercises at the end. The text begins with an account of values and disvalues and then tries to introduce elements of objectivity into the consideration of values--primarily through the relating of facts to values. I offer as the fundamental principle of morality: We ought to act so as to maximize the totality of power, satisfaction, and reality. The second half of the text consists of various projects suitable for students--including value inventories, movie study guides, a search-and-test method for resolving issues (using affirmative action as an example), procedures for a cost-benefit analysis (using obligations toward starving people as an example).
Philosophical Problems: God, Free Will, and Determinism (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1993)
(An elementary text that first surveys philosophical positions on two issues, God and Free Will vs. Determinism, and then presents my own critique of other positions along with my stand on the issues. I argue for God's existence being, at best, only plausible and for soft determinism.)
Philosophical Problems: The Good Life (Mankato: G. Bruno & Co., 1994)
(An elementary text that first surveys philosophical positions on two issues, The Good Life and Knowing the Good Life, and then presents my own critique of other positions along with my stand on the issues. I argue for associating moral persons with sensitivity, knowledge, character, and cooperativeness. With respect to knowing the good life, I argue for a rational-empirical mode rather than openness to life experience, faith, the sales mode, the legal system mode, or cooperataive consciousness-raising.)
Local Publications
"Making Universities Relevant," Sophia 7:1, Winter, 1971
(An article advocating greater activism on the part of universities in changing the society--largely an extension of ideas presented in "Universities in the Age of Morality")
"Is It Ethical to Risk the Total Destruction of Humanity," Gathering Post, May, 1982
(An article where I argue that nuclear war is morally unacceptable if it entails the total destruction of humanity--interpreted as "the total destruction of the important values and valued ways of life, created by human beings over the course of many centuries" rather than as "the total destruction of life on earth")
"Universities in the Age of Morality," (1970)
(This essay argues that we live in the Age of Morality and that universities should be the dominant institution. It is a manifesto-type document that went nowhere--although it probably explains the direction of a good deal of my subsequent philosophical activity.)
"Dialogue: A Confrontation of Values" (1971)
(A imaginary dialogue with Richard Nixon (and a moral portrait) about the good life and society--written before the Watergate breakin)
"Dialogue: Pornography Forum" (1973?)
(An imaginary dialogue arguing that pornography is not fully protected by the 1st Amendment and can cause sufficient harm to justify at least some restrictions on the most extreme forms of pornography)
"The American Ideal: Its Past and Future" (1976)
(Bicentennial reflections on the United States: After laying out the distinction between negative and positive freedom and between materialistic and humanistic interpretations of the American Ideal, I argued for positive freedom and the humanistic interpretation as our best hope for the future. The paper was presented as a "Runner-up" Lecture in association with the President's Lecture Series at MSU. An earlier, simpler draft of the paper was presented in a bicentennial symposium at the University of Dayton.)
Energy: A Tale of Two Crises" (1982 - Unpublished, but presented as the Summer Commencement Address, Mankato State University)
The first crisis, generally recognized, deals with energy shortages and the nation's need to assure sufficient energy supplies. The second crisis, not generally recognized and the one I stressed, is the nation's "addiction" to energy-consumption and the need to overcome that addiction.
Moral Persons and Hypocrisy, 1988
(A typed manuscript of some 200 pages produced during a sabbatical leave year. The style is set at too elementary a level and probably needs work. Chapters: The Nature of Hypocrisy, Allegations of Hypocrisy, Hypocrisy and Excuses, Hypocrisy and Direct Justification, Hypocrisy and Indirect Justification)
Scientific Explanation and the Occult, Vol. 1: Scientific Explanation, Copyright 1984, 1992, 201 pp.
(An elementary text used in my courses, Logic of Scientific Method and Scientific Explanation and the Occult. Chapters: The Scientific Attitude, A Scientific Document: Newton's New Theory About Light and Color, Techniques of Scientific Investigation, The Nature of Scientific Explanation, Special Problems of the Behavioral and Social Sciences)
Scientific Explanation and the Occult, Vol. 2: The Occult, Copyright 1984, 1992, 127 pp.
(An elementary text used in my courses, Logic of Scientific Method and Scientific Explanation and the Occult. Chapters thus far: Challenges to Contemporary Science, Creationism and Religion, Astrology)
Banning Boxing? (Copyright 1991)
(An interactive computer program that allows one to examine one's own position with respect to boxing)
Banning Abortions? (Copyright 1998)
(An interactive computer program that allows one to examine one's own position with respect to abortion)
Logical Methods and Standard Scientific Explanation, Pts. I-III (Copyright 1999), 216 pages
(A revision of my earlier Scientific Explanation and the Occult—with less focus on the occult, a more general introduction to the logic of science, and more consideration of recent critiques of standard scientific explanation from the standpoints of Thomas Kuhn, Ronald Giere, social constructivism, and feminism)
1990s
"Objectivitity," MSU Philosophy Club, 1996
(Differing presentations between myself and Dick Liebendorfer, also in Philosophy. I argued for epistemological objectivity, that is, objectivity as a goal accomplished by decreasing subjectivity--rather than for traditional metaphysical objectivity, which tries to establish what reality is independently of human thought.)
"A Debate: Does God Exist?," MSU Student Union, May, 1995
(A debate at MSU with Cliff Knechtle, from the national staff of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Main Theme: I took an agnostic position, maintaining that God's existence in terms of reasoning and evidence is merely plausible at best.)
"Loyalty In Business," Mankato Chapter of Rotary International, January, 1995
(A luncheon talk. Main Theme: Is loyalty--between customer and store owner or between employee and employer--disappearing from the business environment?)
"Sociobiology," MSU, February, 1994
(A panel discussion along with Paul Brown and Mike Scullin in Anthropology and Dick Liebendorfer in Philosophy. My Main Theme: Although there is nothing wrong with scientific sociobiology, we need to avoid messianic and reductionistic sociobiology and to protect the significance of values by focusing upon levels of self-reflection that sociobiology will never be able to explain or reduce adequately.)
"Ethical Issues on Campus" (mainly dealing with affirmative action), MSU Faculty Development Day, Feb., 1994
(A presentation and discussion that concentrated mainly on explaining and justifying affirmative action--relying heavily on my discussion of the subject in Practical Ethics)
"Can Ethics Be Taught?", Unitarian Fellowship, Mankato, November, 1993
(An affirmative answer to the question, along with consideration in terms of power, satisfaction, and reality as ultimate values and in terms of sensitivity, knowledge, character, and cooperativeness as the marks of a moral person)
"Pornography: A Debate," MSU Philosophy Club, January, 1992
(A debate with Neala Schleuning from the Women's Center at MSU. I argued that, while pornography is not protected fully by the 1st Amendment and some extreme forms should be banned, most pornography should be dealt with in the society as we do alcohol.)
"Physician-Assisted Suicide," MSU, December, 1991
(A panel discussion along with area psychiatrists Drs. Tverberg and Wilson and with Hal Walberg in the Philosophy Department. Main Theme: I tried to establish the reasonableness of physician-assisted dying in terms of moral values already widely accepted.)
"Natural Law and Constitutional Law," MSU Philosophy, September, 1991
(A panel discussion along with Bob Wallace and John Humphrey of the Philosophy Department. I made a distinction between the negative and positive application of natural law--arguing that negative application is acceptable although not necessary to establish rights, but that positive application is both unacceptable and unnecessary. Negative Application: There is nothing in the natural order that establishes the greater moral worth of one human being over another--hence allowing judgments about human equality. Positive Application: Nature itself or divine intent establishes various kinds of human actions as being in accordance with, or in opposition to, the natural order.)
"Remarks About Planned Parenthood," Program celebrating the 25th? Anniversary of Planned Parenthood in Mankato, September, 1991
(A panel discussion along with Dr. Maggie O'Connor of the MSU Health Service and with State Senator John Hottinger. I tried to show how the activities of Planned Parenthood are consistent with a moral point of view and social reality.)
"What Is An Honest Profit?", MSU, Spring, 1990
(A panel discussion involving Norman Bowie, business ethics professor at the University of Minnesota; MSU faculty: Penny Herickhoff in business law, Henry Okleshen in finance, Tim Scott in Management, and Bob Wallace in philosophy; MSU student John Roberts; Garrett Paul in the religion department at Gustavus Adophus College; and area businesspersons: accountant Frank Gazzola, bank president Starr Kirklin, developer Art Petrie, department president Scott Taylor, and account executive Joyce Thompsen. I set the situations for the panel and served as moderator.)
"What Is An Honest Profit?", Worthington Community College, Spring, 1990
(A lecture and discussion of the situations later used in the panel discussion above for Professor Arnold Lutnik's class at Worthington Community College)
"Abortion and the Objectivity of Values," MSU Philosophy Club, Winter, 1990
(A discussion with John Humphrey in the philosophy department on whether the abortion issue is resolvable in terms of objective moral values. I argued that the terminology, social context, and common moral assumptions served to provide ways of making some objective judgments regarding the abortion issue. I also argued that both the pro-choice and pro-life sides make claims that are subject to factual analysis and generally that the pro-life side was less consistent with facts than the pro-choice side.)
At Professional Meetings
“Theocratic Conservatism,” Society for Indian Philosophy and Religion conference, Mankato, MN, April 2007
“Relativism and Absolutism in Religion,” Society for Indian Philosophy and Religion conference, Calcutta, India, July, 2006
Commentary on Dale Miller's "John Stuart Mill's Civic Liberalism," Minnesota Philosophical Society meeting at Carleton College, October, 1997
Commentary on R. Scott Kretchmar's "How to Develop a Knockdown Argument for Required Physical Education," Sport Philosophy Symposium at Saint Olaf's College, February, 1997
Commentary on Erle W. Fitz' "Creativity for Everyone?," Society for the Philosophy of Creativity, in conjunction with the American Philosophical Association Meeting, St. Louis, spring, 1986 (My commentary was archived but not read, due to a death in the family.)
Commentary on Jerome Arthur Stone's "Samuel Alexander and Henry Nelson Wieman: Religious Naturalists," Symposium on the Thought of Henry Nelson Wieman, Southern Illinois University, summer, 1985
Commentary on Joel Peterson's "Right to Life, Right to Body: Organ Donation and Abortion," Minnesota Philosophical Society, fall, 1983
"Energy: A Tale of Two Crises," MSU Summer Commencement Address, 1982
Commentary on David Hoekema's "Fair Taxes," Minnesota Philosophical Society, fall, 1981
"Modeling Induction after Deduction," Minnesota Philosophical Society, fall, 1978
"The American Ideal," Bicentennial Symposium at the University of Dayton, fall, 1975
Commentary on Professor Haas' "The Democratic Ideal," Minnesota Philosophical Society, fall, 1969
Some Other Presentations
During the late 1970s, I participated in several programs partially sponsored by the Minnesota Humanities Commission--dealing with issues such as health care, death and dying, energy, social attitudes toward gays, and the nature of the humanities.