Stephen Maitzen
Education
M.A., Ph.D., Cornell University
Yale Law School
B.A. with Highest Distinction, Northwestern University
Current positions
W. G. Clark Professor of Philosophy, Acadia University
Chair, Research Ethics Board, Acadia University
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Dalhousie University
Book
Determinism, Death, and Meaning (Routledge, 2022)
Articles
There Must Have Been a First Generation, Think: Philosophy for Everyone, volume 18, issue 53 (2019), 7-13
Normative Objections to Theism, A Companion to Atheism and Philosophy, ed. Graham Oppy (Wiley Blackwell, 2019), 204-215
The Problem of Magic, in Does God Matter? Essays on the Axiological Consequences of Theism, ed. Klaas J. Kraay (Routledge, 2018), 132-146
Substantial Change: Continuous, Consistent, Objective, The Journal of Philosophy 114:10 (2017), 551-562
Naturalism and the Fundamental Question, Free Inquiry 37:5 (August/September 2017), 30-33
Against Ultimacy, in Renewing Philosophy of Religion: Exploratory Essays, ed. Paul Draper and J. L. Schellenberg (Oxford University Press, 2017), 48-62
Perfection, Evil, and Morality, in Ethics and the Problem of Evil, ed. James P. Sterba (Indiana University Press, 2017), 141-154
Agnosticism, Skeptical Theism, and Moral Obligation, in Skeptical Theism: New Essays, ed. Trent Dougherty and Justin P. McBrayer (Oxford University Press, 2014), 277-292
How Not to Argue from Science to Skepticism, International Journal for the Study of Skepticism 4:1 (2014): 21-35.
Questioning the Question, in The Puzzle of Existence: Why is There Something Rather than Nothing?, ed. Tyron Goldschmidt (Routledge, 2013), 252-271
Atheism and the Basis of Morality, in What Makes Us Moral?, ed. A. W. Musschenga and Anton van Harskamp (Springer, 2013), 257-269
The Moral Skepticism Objection to Skeptical Theism, in The Blackwell Companion to the Problem of Evil, ed. Justin P. McBrayer and Daniel Howard-Snyder (Wiley-Blackwell, 2013), 444-457
Stop Asking Why There's Anything, Erkenntnis 77:1 (2012), 51-63
On God and Our Ultimate Purpose, Free Inquiry 31:2 (February/March 2011), 35-37
Does God Destroy Our Duty of Compassion? Free Inquiry 30:6 (October/November 2010), 52-53
Reply to Pigden and Schurz, in Hume on Is and Ought, ed. Charles R. Pigden (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), 320-324
Moral Conclusions from Nonmoral Premises, in Hume on Is and Ought, ed. Charles R. Pigden (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), 290-309
On Gellman's Attempted Rescue, European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 2:1 (2010), 193-198
A Dilemma for Skeptics, Teorema 29:1 (2010), 23-34
Ordinary Morality Implies Atheism, European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 1:2 (2009), 107-126
Skeptical Theism and Moral Obligation, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 65 (2009), 93-103
Anti-Autonomism Defended: A Reply to Hill, Philosophia 36:4 (2008), 567-574
Does Molinism Explain the Demographics of Theism? Religious Studies 44:4 (2008), 473-477
Skeptical Theism and God's Commands, Sophia 46:3 (2007), 235-241
CORNEA and Closure (with Andrew Graham), Faith and Philosophy 24:1 (2007), 83-86
God, Schmod, and Karma, The Athenaeum, Acadia University, October 19, 2006, p. 7
The Impossibility of Local Skepticism, Philosophia 34:4 (2006), 453-464
Divine Hiddenness and the Demographics of Theism, Religious Studies 42:2 (2006), 177-191
Anselmian Atheism, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 70:1 (2005), 225-239
A Semantic Attack on Divine-Command Metaethics, Sophia 43:2 (2004), 15-28
Newcomb's Hidden Regress (with Garnett Wilson), Theory and Decision 54:2 (2003), 151-162
Abortion in the Original Position, The Personalist Forum 15:2 (2003), 373-388
Academic Freedom and the Ethics of Research, AUFA Communicator (February 2002), pp. 2-4
Testing Debate Rages, Halifax Sunday Herald, March 28, 1999, p. C2
Closing the 'Is'-'Ought' Gap, Canadian Journal of Philosophy 28:3 (1998), 349-366
The Deal on Education, Halifax Sunday Herald, November 29, 1998, p. C2
The Knower Paradox and Epistemic Closure, Synthese 114:2 (1998), 337-354
Tennant, Frederick Robert, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Volume 9, pp. 301-303 (1998)
Diversity in the Classroom, Studies in Philosophy and Education 16:3 (1997), 293-302
Should Philosophers Do the Continental? The Watch (University of King's College), March 1997
Our Errant Epistemic Aim, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 55:4 (1995), 869-876
God and Other Theoretical Entities, Topoi 14:2 (1995), 123-134
Two Views of Religious Certitude, Religious Studies 28:1 (1992), 65-74
Swinburne on Credal Belief, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 29:3 (1991), 143-157
The Ethics of Statistical Discrimination, Social Theory and Practice 17:1 (1991), 23-45
Can Philosophers Communicate with Other Humanists? Proceedings of the Mellon Fellows Conference in the Humanities, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, 1991
Book reviews
Paul K. Moser, The Elusive God: Reorienting Religious Epistemology, Sophia 49:1 (2010), 149-151
Michael Martin (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Atheism, in Social Theory and Practice 34:2 (2008), 293-299
Kai Nielsen, Naturalism and Religion, in Philosophy in Review 22:5 (2002), 311-313
C. Stephen Evans, Faith Beyond Reason, in Philosophy in Review 20:2 (2000), 98-99
Paul Helm, Belief Policies, in the Philosophical Review 106:3 (1997), 448-450
Linda Martín Alcoff, Real Knowing: New Versions of the Coherence Theory, in Philosophy in Review 16:6 (1996), 385-387
J. L. Schellenberg, Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason, in the Philosophical Review 104:1 (1995), 153-156
William P. Alston, Perceiving God: The Epistemology of Religious Experience, in the Philosophical Review 102:3 (1993), 430-432
Conference papers and presentations
Some Moral Costs of Theism, St. Mary's University, 2016
Theism and the Problem of Magic, Ryerson University, 2015
On God and Our Ultimate Purpose, Acadia University, 2012
God vs. Morality, Amherst College, 2011 (audio here)
On God and Our Ultimate Purpose, Dalhousie University, 2011
What Makes Us Moral? Vrije Universiteit (VU University) Amsterdam, 2011
From Morality to Atheism, Boston University, 2010
Does God Threaten Morality?: A Debate, Acadia University, 2010
Why Is There Anything? Western Michigan University, 2009
Issues in Human Subjects Research Ethics, Western Michigan University, 2009
Why Is There Anything? Dalhousie University, 2009
God, Evil, and Morality: A Debate, Acadia University, 2008
Skeptical Theism and Moral Obligation, American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Meeting, 2007
Skeptical Theism and Moral Obligation, Atlantic Region Philosophers Association Annual Conference, 2007
A Dilemma for Skeptics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007
Anselmian Atheism Revisited, Boston University, 2007
Divine Hiddenness and the Demographics of Theism, Boston University, 2007
Ordinary Morality Implies Atheism, American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Meeting, 2006
Dreaming Gets the Skeptic Nowhere, American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Meeting, 2006
Commentary on Andrew Spear, The Coherence of Rationalism, American Philosophical Association Central Division Meeting, 2006
God: Enemy of Morality? Acadia University, 2006
Ordinary Morality Implies Atheism, Dalhousie University, 2006
Skeptical Theism and Ordinary Morality, University of Dundee, 2006
How Not to Argue from Science to Skepticism, University of Edinburgh, 2006
How Not to Argue from Science to Skepticism, University of Glasgow, 2006
The Impossibility of Local Skepticism, University of Stirling, 2006
How Not to Argue from Science to Skepticism, Dalhousie University, 2006
Divine Hiddenness and the Demographics of Theism, Atlantic Region Philosophers Association Annual Conference, 2004
Anselmian Atheism, Canadian Philosophical Association Congress, 2003
Commentary on Bernard D. Katz, On the Limits of Divine Power, Canadian Philosophical Association Congress, 2003
Local Skepticism, Atlantic Region Philosophers Association Annual Conference, 2002
A Semantic Attack on Divine-Command Metaethics, Canadian Philosophical Association Congress, 2002
Newcomb's Hidden Regress (with Garnett Wilson), Canadian Philosophical Association Congress, 2002
Newcomb's Hidden Regress (with Garnett Wilson), American Philosophical Association Central Division Meeting, 2002
Commentary on Paul Schollmeier, Accidental Deities, Canadian Philosophical Association Congress, 2001
Newcomb's Hidden Regress (with Garnett Wilson), Atlantic Region Philosophers Association Annual Conference, 2000
Newcomb's Hidden Regress (with Garnett Wilson), Dalhousie University, 2000
Anselmian Atheism, Gifford Bequest International Conference, Scotland, 2000
The End of Theology? Atlantic Region Philosophers Association Annual Conference, 1999
Abortion in the Original Position, Fifth International Conference on Persons, New Mexico, U.S.A., 1999
Abortion in the Original Position, Dalhousie University, 1999
Can We Think About God? Acadia University, 1999
Anselm's Antinomy, Dalhousie University, 1999
Moral Skepticism Totters, Canadian Philosophical Association Congress, 1998
The Knower Paradox and Epistemic Closure, American Philosophical Association Central Division Meeting, 1998
A Semantic Attack on Divine Command Metaethics, Dalhousie University, 1998
The Knower Paradox and Epistemic Closure, Canadian Philosophical Association Congress, 1997
"Ought" from "Is" Once More: Moral Conclusions from Nonmoral Premises, American Philosophical Association Central Division Meeting, 1997
Sokal's Hoax: Postmodern Critiques of Science, University of King's College, 1997
Diversity in the Classroom, Atlantic Region Philosophers Association Annual Conference, 1996
Modality in Plantinga's Free Will Defense, Mid-South Philosophy Conference, Tennessee, U.S.A., 1996
The Knower Paradox and Epistemic Closure, Dalhousie University, 1996
Moral Conclusions from Nonmoral Premises, Acadia University, 1996
"Ought" from "Is" Once and for All, Dalhousie University, 1996
The Instability of Moral Skepticism, Dalhousie University, 1995
The Instability of Moral Skepticism, New York State Philosophical Association Annual Conference, 1995
The Instability of Moral Skepticism, Central States Philosophical Association, Tennessee, U.S.A., 1994
The Real Epistemic Aim, New York State Philosophical Association Annual Conference, 1992
Can Philosophers Communicate with Other Humanists? Conference of Mellon Fellows in the Humanities, Bryn Mawr College, 1991
Commentary on Michael Brown, Idolatry, Skepticism, and the Extent of Doxastic Reliability, Conference on the Epistemology of Religious Belief, Santa Clara University, 1991
Grants, awards, distinctions
Acadia University Research Fund Grant, 2007
Nominated for the Distinguished Teacher Award, Association of Atlantic Universities, 2006
Acadia University Research Fund Grant, 2006
Excellence in Teaching Award, Associated Alumni of Acadia University, 2006
Visiting Fellow of the Knowledge, Mind and Value Project, University of Stirling, Scotland, 2006
Acadia University: Special Institutional Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 2005
Acadia Students' Union Teaching Recognition Award, 2004-2005
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada: Standard Research Grant for 2002-2005
Acadia University Research Fund Grant, 2002
Acadia University: Special Institutional Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 2001
Acadia University: Special Institutional Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 2000
Acadia University: Special Institutional Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 1999
Nominated for Award for Excellence in Teaching, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Dalhousie University, 1998
Dalhousie University, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Research Development Fund Grant, 1996
Mellon Fellowships in the Humanities (Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation): Dissertation Fellowship, 1991
Mellon Fellowships in the Humanities (Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation): Graduate Fellowship, 1987-1991
Phi Beta Kappa (elected in third year), Northwestern University, 1985
Graduate students
External Reader and Examiner for M.A. Thesis, Must a Good God be Moral? An Exploration of Agatheism, by Michael D. Ashfield (Acadia University, 2009)
Supervisor for M.A. Thesis, The Role of the Imagination in Modal Inquiry: A Critical Examination of Conventionalism, by Margaret Cameron (Dalhousie University, 1997)
Supervisor for M.A. Thesis, The Philosophy of Time Travel, by G. Matthew Gilmore (Dalhousie University, 1997)
Supervisor for M.A. Thesis, An Intuitive Challenge to Naturalized Epistemology, by Travis Hreno (Dalhousie University, 1996)
Supervisor for M.A. Thesis, A Critical Survey of Contextualist Epistemology, by Antonia LoLordo (Dalhousie University, 1996)
Third Reader for M.A. Thesis, An Account of and Response to Externalist Reliabilism, by Andrew Fenton (Dalhousie University, 1995)
Service (at Acadia University)
Chair, University Research Ethics Board, 1999-
Head, Department of Philosophy, 2004-2008, 2017-2020
Acting Head, Department of Philosophy, 2003-2004
Member, University Appeals Committee, 2017-2018
Member, Senate Admissions and Academic Standing Committee (Appeals), 2016-2019
Chair, Faculty of Arts Council, 2015-2016, 2019-2020, 2020-2021
Chair, Faculty of Arts Steering Committee, 2015-2016, 2019-2020, 2020-2021
Panelist, AskPhilosophers.org, 2012-
AUFA Representative to ANSUT, 2013-2014, 2017-2020
Chair, Philosophy Department Selection Committee, 2011
Member, Faculty of Arts Strategic Committee, 2010-2012
Mentor, Residential Faculty Mentorship Program, 2008-
Member, Arts Faculty Planning Committee, 2003-2005, 2006-2008
Chair, Philosophy Department Selection Committee, 2000-2001, 2002-2003
Member, ASPC Task Force on High-Quality Learning, 2000-2001
Programme Committee, Canadian Philosophical Association, 2001-2002
Member, Senate Academic Discipline Appeals Committee, 2000-2001
AUFA Representative to the Committee to Review the University Sexual Harassment Policy, 2000-2001
Library Representative, Department of Philosophy 1999-2006, 2007-2008
Webmaster, Department of Philosophy, 1999-
University representative to the Canadian Philosophical Association, 2001-2003
Referee for Australasian Journal of Philosophy, Canadian Journal of Philosophy, Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review, Erkenntnis, Ethics, European Journal for Philosophy of Religion, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Journal of Philosophical Research, Philosophia, Philosophical Quarterly, Philosophy & Phenomenological Research, Religious Studies, Sophia, Canadian Philosophical Association, MIT Press