John Teehan
Professor of Religion
Degrees
PHD, 1992, CUNY Gr Sch & Univ Cnt; MA, 1987, CUNY Queens Coll; BA, 1984, St Josephs Coll BrooklynBio
John Teehan, 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.
Teaching Interests
Science and Religion Philosophy of Religion Moral TheoryResearch Interests
Moral Philosophy Philosophy of Religion Cognitive Science of Religion (particular focus on evolutionary psychology) Cognitive Science of MoralityRecent Courses Taught
| Course | Title | Level |
|---|---|---|
| RELI 060 | (HP)HERETICS,SKEPTCS,FREETHKRS | Undergraduate |
| RELI 067 | (HP) EVIL: RELI, PHI, SCI PRSP | Undergraduate |
| RELI 080 | (CC) LIFE,DEATH & IMRTLTY | Undergraduate |
| RELI 121 | (HP) THE RELIGIOUS MIND | Undergraduate |
| RELI 191 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | Undergraduate |
| SUS 010A | CULTURE, NATURE & SELF | Undergraduate |
YouTube FourSquare Flickr RSS