R Jay Wallace – Moral Philosopher – UC Berkeley

R Jay Wallace – Moral Philosopher – UC Berkeley

Marin Philosophical Society – September 21 – San Rafael

R. Jay Wallace is one of America’s leading moral philosophers with a rare ability: he can speak to a smart general audience in an accessible and engaging manner and simultaneously write in the precise, rigorous manner of contemporary analytic philosophy. Perhaps this rare ability is related to the way he approaches moral philosophy. Wallace often begins with familiar forms of life experience: anger and resentment; love and regret; responsibility and blame; obligations we accept, and claims we make on one another. He then connects these everyday experiences to the abstract world of moral theory; to reveal how fundamental and relevant moral philosophy can be within our lives.  

When Wallace joined us last year, he spoke of something we could instantly recognize: anger. Why Is Everyone So Angry? became the beginning point for a deep and insightful philosophical conversation. This month, we look forward with great anticipation to how he will engage our imaginations with what might initially seem like a simple observation and then transform it into a deeply informed philosophical conversation. Come for a rare opportunity to think alongside an extraordinary moral philosopher.

R. Jay Wallace is Professor of Philosophy at UC Berkeley. His education includes Williams College, University of Oxford, and PhD in Philosophy at Princeton University. His books include Moral Nexus, and The View from Here: On Affirmation, Attachment and the Limits of Regret.

VenturePad, 1020 B Street, San Rafael – Monday, September 21, 11:30-1:00 (light snacks will be served)