Degrees: PHD, 1992, CUNY Gr Sch & Univ Cnt; MA, 1987, CUNY Queens Coll; BA, 1984, St Josephs Coll Brooklyn

Bio:

John Teehan, Associate Professor, Religion, holds a M.A. in Psychology (Queens College, 1987) and a Doctorate in Philosophy (Graduate Center, CUNY, 1992). He joined the full time Hofstra Faculty in 1998, after serving as an adjunct in the Philosophy department while working as a behavioral psychological consultant. His dissertation explored the moral theory of John Dewey, which lead to several publications on the topic of ethical naturalism. He has also published and lectured widely on the impact of evolutionary theories on moral philosophy. His current research interest focuses on the inter-relation of science, religion and ethics. His most recent publication "The Evolutionary Basis of Religious Ethics" (Zygon) is an exploration of religious ethical traditions and the issue of religious violence from the perspective of cognitive science. This was also the subject of his 2004 Distinguished Faculty Lecture, "In the Name of God: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Ethics and Violence," and constitutes his ongoing research project. He teaches courses in the philosophy of religion, with a special focus on the problem of evil, religious skepticism and the history of ideas. He will be developing course offerings on religion and science, and cognitive scientific approaches to religion. Prof. Teehan is also co-director of the Italian Odyssey, an inter-disciplinary study abroad summer program.