Jeff Johnson
I am a retired professor of philosophy. I taught at Eastern Oregon University for thirty-five years. I have taught almost every course in the undergraduate curriculum, at least in the “analytic” tradition.
My research has focused on the Philosophy of Law, particularly personal and legal privacy, and the Philosophy of Religion. I have also recently published an Introduction to Critical Thinking: Inferring and Explaining.
Although I am enjoying the freedom and leisure that retirement allows, I intend to remain active in my profession, both as a teacher and scholar. This website is my main portal for both my students, and my professional colleagues.
To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, … but to so love wisdom as to live according to its dictates, to live a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity, and trust.
Thoreau
It seems to me that good philosophy will always have a place in the investigation of any matter of deep human importance, because of its commitment to clarity, to carefully drawn distinctions, to calm argument rather than prejudice and dogmatic assertion.
Nussbaum
Philosophy needs vision and argument… there is something disappointing about a philosophical work that contains arguments, however good, which are not inspired by some genuine vision, and something disappointing about a philosophical work that contains a vision, however inspiring, which is unsupported by arguments.
Putnam
“What is your aim in Philosophy?”
“To show the fly the way out of the fly-bottle”
Wittgenstein
